


turning stones

by noodletastic



Series: hard truths [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Gift Giving, M/M, More tags and characters to be added, Slice of Life, Teen Ninjas - Freeform, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:00:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26069851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noodletastic/pseuds/noodletastic
Summary: additional scenes within the "hidden truths" series. description of each vignette included.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Namiashi Raidou/Shiranui Genma
Series: hard truths [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1881925
Comments: 25
Kudos: 77





	1. violet lightning

**Author's Note:**

> the night of the attack on the uchiha compound from kakashi's perspective.
> 
> or: sasuke actually might not hate kakashi as much as he pretends.

Kakashi was one of the first to make it to the main Uchiha compound the night of the bandit attack, with Obito at his side. When they received their orders, they had been halfway through a bottle of sake, sprawled together in Kakashi’s bedroom. Shisui himself had been the one to retrieve them, a frantic look in his spinning eyes as he said, “There are intruders in the village. They’re after the Sharingan. We have to go.”

Obito had been shaking too badly to strap on his arm guards, so Kakashi had done it for him, and then they were on the move.

The Uchiha neighborhood was eerily silent when they arrived. As soon as they crossed the border that demarcated greater Konoha from the Uchiha ward, Kakashi counted at least six other ANBU, and he could sense foreign chakra signatures nearby too. He caught Obito’s arm before he could take off after one of them, shook his head, and made a forward gesture.

There was no use wasting their time here. They both knew that getting to the main compound needed to be their goal. No one else would speed there, expecting that Fugaku, Itachi, and Mikoto would be more than enough to protect the main family. Obito and Kakashi were two of few who knew that Fugaku and Itachi were gone on a mission. That left Mikoto to look after baa-chan and Sasuke on her own.

And Naruto.

Kakashi’s chest clenched tight at the thought, and he sped up. If something happened to Naruto, Iruka would be devastated. And Kakashi wouldn’t allow it.

They entered the main house, two shadows moving fluidly together. Kakashi could just see the glow of Obito’s eyes through his mask, his body tenser than usual. He spared just a moment to tap Obito’s shoulder in a brief gesture of comfort before leading the way onto the veranda.

Immediately he could smell something strange, a completely unknown human scent in the house Kakashi had basically grown up in. He had to take a careful breath to keep his hackles from raising. He couldn’t sense anyone by chakra, and couldn’t track exactly where the foreign smell was coming from; he had to focus to realize that there were two scents instead of one, going in opposite directions.

He signed as much at Obito, then gestured for Obito to go right towards his wing of the house to protect baa-chan, while Kakashi moved left towards where he could sense the sleeping forms of Mikoto, Sasuke, and Naruto.

He had just reached Mikoto’s room when he heard a creak further down the hallway in the direction of Sasuke and Itachi’s bedrooms. He stiffened, hand paused over the door, before he silently continued down the hall. There was no time to wake her, explain the situation, have her get dressed. He would need to get to the boys first, and hope that if someone came for her, she could protect herself. Knowing Mikoto, that wouldn’t be a problem.

The door to Sasuke’s room was already open when he arrived. Kakashi slipped inside, sticking to the shadows. In the bed, he could see Naruto and Sasuke curled towards each other, as if they’d just been whispering in the dark. They were both asleep, Sasuke’s thumb close to his mouth and Naruto snoring louder than Kakashi would ever expect of a six-year-old.

And there was a man above them, reaching for Sasuke.

Kakashi threw a shuriken without a moment’s pause, slicing through the stranger’s hand. He jerked back with a hiss, looking in Kakashi’s direction. His expression was hidden behind a colorful mask. If Kakashi were to guess, it looked similar in design to those of Kusagakure shinobi.

The thunk of the shuriken embedding into the wall and the man’s snarl were not enough to wake Naruto, but Sasuke’s eyes snapped open, huge and panicked. He jerked upright, and Kakashi’s heart clenched at the quiet, confused gasp of terror he made at the sight of the man and Kakashi.

“Sasuke,” Kakashi said immediately. “Wake Naruto and run.”

“What-”

“No chance,” the stranger said. He lunged towards the bed again, but Kakashi was quicker. He leapt over the bed, tackling the other man to the floor and away from the children with a growl. The man was bigger than him, unfortunately, and he flipped Kakashi before he could figure out the least messy way to kill someone in Sasuke’s bedroom. Kakashi quickly flickered his hands through the seals for body replacement, trading places with Sasuke’s bedside lamp before he could be gutted. Even faster, he made the seals for a shadow clone. 

His doppleganger appeared on the opposite side of the room, and as their opponent stood, Kakashi drew a coil of chakra wire from his pocket, locking the end of the spool between two fingers. He tossed the remaining length to his copy, who caught it and darted around their opponent, quick enough to wrap him twice and lock his arms at his side before he could react. They pulled the wire taunt, and Kakashi dismissed his clone as soon as he had both ends of the wire in his hands. And then he used his own chakra on the wire, converting it to sharp purple electricity that made his foe convulse and crumple to the ground. Kakashi leapt onto his back in a crouch, twisting the wire together to completely bind his now disabled foe. 

When he was sure the man would be restrained even if he woke, he let go of some of his tension. His fingers and arms tingled where his lightning release had electrified him too. He was still too early in the development of his violet electricity to use it in combat, but it had been the first thing to come to mind. Fortunately the reckless move had paid off.

When he looked up, Sasuke and Naruto were both clutching at each other in the bed. They hadn’t run after all. Foolish boys.

“ANBU-san?” Naruto squeaked out. He looked more excited than frightened, which was truly par for the course. Kakashi resisted the urge to sigh.

“It’s alright,” he said quietly. “I’ll protect you.”

“Ah… I kinda got to pee,” Naruto said, nose crinkling. “Uh, not cuz I was scared. But.”

Kakashi just pointed towards the bathroom, and Naruto bolted, clutching his stomach. When the door closed, he looked back at Sasuke, who was staring at him already. He looked no calmer than he had when he’d woken.

“It’s alright,” Kakashi repeated, relaxing his posture to look as non-threatening as possible. “I’ll take you to your mother when he comes back.”

Sasuke didn’t speak for a long moment, and when he did, tears rose in his eyes, and his voice broke pathetically. “Kaka-nii-chan?” he whispered.

Kakashi thought his heart may have stopped, both at the emotional display and the fact that Sasuke had guessed his identity. But if Sasuke had already figured it out, why bother upsetting him further? He pulled his ANBU mask to the side to reveal his face, doing his best to convey a relaxed smile through his cloth mask. “Yes, Sasuke-kun?”

Sasuke’s lip trembled, and he lunged forward to hug Kakashi around the waist. Kakashi stumbled closer to the bed so Sasuke wouldn’t fall, blinking down at him curiously. “Hey, hey…”

“Scared,” Sasuke managed, and he was shaking. “Thanks.”

Kakashi sighed and shifted to pick him all the way up, guiding his Sasuke’s face against his neck so he could cry into the soft fabric of his mask instead of the rough grit of his armored vest. “Sasuke, Sasuke, what would Itachi say?”

Sasuke just wrapped his arms around Kakashi’s neck, hiding against him with a little stuttered gasp. Kakashi carefully readjusted his mask to cover his face once more when he heard the toilet flush, but didn’t attempt to put Sasuke back on his feet. If he was being honest, holding the child was comforting to him, too.

Naruto walked back in, stepping carefully around the body of the missing nin that was still smoldering on the floor. “Sasuke! What are you doing?” He wrinkled his nose up at them, crossing his arms. “You’re crying? That’s embarrassing!”

“Shut up, stupid!” Sasuke snapped. But he didn’t allow Kakashi to put him down, sniffling delicately. Kakashi took Naruto’s hand to lead him to Mikoto’s room, remaining carefully alert as they moved down the veranda.

\---

Two enemies had managed to infiltrate the main house. Kakashi had apprehended - and, actually, accidentally killed - the one in Sasuke’s bedroom, and Obito’s grandmother had fully incapacitated the man who had made it into her bedroom before Obito even arrived.

“I was a shinobi once upon a time too, you know,” she said, irritation apparent in the clenched hand on her cane. She was halfway through chastising Obito when a messenger arrived and pulled Kakashi away.

“Can my report wait until tomorrow?” he murmured, expecting it to be a request to explain how he had ended up killing his target.

“Not about that.” The woman shook her head. Kakashi thought he might recognize her as one of the Aburame. “Message from Tsunade-hime. Umino Iruka is in the hospital and requests your presence. He alerted us about the attack on the Uchiha after a missing-nin and the prisoner Mizuki attacked him in his home. He’s alive.”

Kakashi stiffened, chakra flaring out of his control for just a moment before he clamped it down. He was too late to stop the killing intent that had flooded the room, cutting baa-chan off mid-sentence and leaving the room dead silent. 

“What,” he said at last, and barely recognized the flat note of his own voice.

“He’s in the hospital,” she repeated. “Alive.”

“What do you mean, he was attacked? By Mizuki?”

“Kakashi?” Obito said. Kakashi had noticed him approaching, and had been unable to stop himself from tensing up like Obito might attack. “What’s going on-?”

“Iruka was attacked,” he snapped, and hoped Obito would know that the anger wasn’t actually for him.

“Go,” Obito said immediately. “I’ll finish up here.”

Kakashi didn’t wait.

\---

Kakashi returned to the Uchiha compound two days later, after Iruka was discharged and safely home again. He wasn’t ready to go home himself, anxious energy still buzzing through him. Hopefully Obito would be available and as interested in numbing some of the post-mission, post-trauma jitters as him.

When he knocked, Sasuke was the one to peek past the door. As soon as they met eyes, Kakashi noticed that Sasuke turned pink, looking away in obvious embarrassment. He decided not to mention it.

“Hello, Sasuke-kun. Is Obito home?”

“Yeah,” Sasuke grumbled, glancing back at him.

Kakashi arched a brow. “May I come in?”

Sasuke just stepped back so he could enter, and when Kakashi closed the door, Sasuke was still waiting beside the genkan instead of disappearing down the hall as he had expected. Kakashi slid off his sandals, patiently waiting for Sasuke to speak.

“Can you teach me?” Sasuke finally said, voice stiff.

“Hm?” Kakashi tilted his head at him curiously. Now that, he certainly hadn’t expected. Usually Sasuke did his best to avoid Kakashi and Obito, so he had expected a stilted, childish thank you for the other night, and then a swift return to business as usual.

“Your electric thing.” Sasuke crossed his arms, looking up at him with a frown. “You know.”

“Ah.” Kakashi shifted to kneel so they were at eye-level, and held up a hand. Purple sparks danced between his fingers and he smothered a grin at the flash of delight in Sasuke’s eyes. “This?”

“Yeah!” Sasuke seemed to realize he was being a bit too eager and stepped back, flushing. “Yeah,” he repeated. “It’s cool. And otou-san said I’m going to be a ninja too, so. I want to learn that. Nii-chan said he can’t do electric release-”

“Lightning release,” Kakashi corrected gently.

“Yeah.” Sasuke rocked back on his heels, jutting out his lip in a brief pout. “But my paper test thing said I’m fire and lightning, so somebody has to teach me.”

Of course the Uchiha had waited less than two days to do an affinity test. It had probably been driving Fugaku mad to wait nearly seven years. And of course Sasuke had shown an immediate dual affinity.

“I’d be happy to teach you.” Kakashi smiled, eyes curving. “Thank you for asking me, Sasuke-kun.”

Sasuke huffed. “It’s only because nii-chan can’t do it, you know.”

“Of course,” Kakashi agreed. “I suppose you wouldn’t want to know that Obito also has a lightning affinity-”

“ _Ugh._ ” Sasuke wrinkled his nose and turned away. “I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”

Kakashi grinned behind his mask and waited for him to disappear before heading to Obito’s room. Some of the anxious tension had faded, and he was man enough to admit that Sasuke’s bizarre vote of confidence was certainly part of it.

“Obito!” He crooned, slipping into his friend’s room. “Sasuke-chan likes me more than you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is basically just a place where i'll be dumping any nugget within this verse that doesn't qualify as it's own full story, but will not leave my brain alone. for instance, this one was me realizing that sasuke would absolutely view kakashi and obito as big brothers even though he's a little bitch about it most of the time. and kakashi has literally known the brat since he was born, so of course he loves him. also iruka-related angst, you're welcome.


	2. in the mountains, i think of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raidou was pissed. He was stuck in some random village, chasing two criminals who they should have been able to kill days ago, while Genma was miles and miles away, celebrating his seventeenth birthday without him.
> 
> or: raidou buys genma a new choker. set during "treading water", from raidou's perspective.

Raidou was pissed. Their target had been leading them on a merry chase for over a week now, and today they had stumbled onto a dead end in a mountain village. They had changed into civilian clothes, even though there was no way for them to truly blend in with the dark-skinned Lightning natives. It was at least more discreet than their fatigues and masks.

They were wandering through the town as tourists, subtly looking for any intel on the missing-nin they had tracked all the way from the Land of Hot Water. Asuma had taken the opportunity to move about without his mask as an excuse to chainsmoke his way through an entire pack of cigarettes within the afternoon. Shisui had disappeared thirty minutes ago, with a promise to reconvene with them by dinner time. Raidou privately wondered if Shisui had abandoned them in order to escape from Raidou’s own ill-temper.

He knew he was being a bit of an asshole today, but he had good reason. He was stuck in some random village, chasing two criminals who they should have been able to kill days ago, while Genma was miles and miles away, celebrating his seventeenth birthday without him. And Raidou was missing it because they’d been stupid enough to let their targets slip away.

“You know he doesn’t care, right?” Asuma drawled out of the blue. They were wandering side-by-side through the town’s open air market, and Raidou was resisting the urge to compulsively buy anything that reminded him even distantly of Genma.

“Hm?” Raidou glanced over at him, sufficiently distracted from his pondering over if he would be able to transport home a metal, origami crane. He moved away from the booth, waving at the shopkeeper apologetically.

“Genma.” Raidou repressed a shiver at the sound of his name. “It’s his birthday, right? You mentioned it before we left town.”

Raidou made a noncommittal noise, and accepted a cigarette from Asuma when he offered it. It was the friendly thing to do, making him smoke one less than he otherwise would. It definitely wasn’t an attempt to quell the nervous energy sizzling under his skin. “Yeah. He’s seventeen today.”

“He won’t care that you missed it.” Asuma lit the cigarette for him in a practiced motion. “He knows the job as well as you do. He knows you aren’t missing it by choice.”

“I know.” He inhaled slowly, clicking his tongue at the acrid taste of the smoke as he exhaled. “But seventeen is a milestone.”

“Of what?” Asuma glanced at him, amused. “Seventeen doesn’t get you anything.”

Raidou shot him a narrow look. “It’s another year alive. He nearly died at fourteen, so-”

“Christ, Raidou, we know.” Asuma huffed a laugh. “We know, you saved him on his first mission, it was very scary, he was very small.”

Raidou ignored the indignant heat rising in his cheeks. “Enough. I’m just pissed I can’t be there.”

“Hey,” Asuma said, stepping to the side suddenly and under the awning of a small jewelry shop. “You suppose Kurenai would like this?” He pointed to a small red pendant pillowed on a black cushion.

“You asking because it looks like her eyes?” Raidou huffed a laugh, flicking his cigarette butt into a nearby communal ashtray before joining him. “It’s pretty,” he allowed.

“Probably too serious a gift for a friend,” Asuma mused, touching the stone lightly with one big, rough finger. 

Raidou rolled his eyes. For all his teasing over Genma, Asuma was no better. He and Kurenai had been dancing around each other for months. Raidou stepped away and began looking through the stall wares himself, letting Asuma ponder on his own. Most of the jewelry was gaudy or looked cheap. None of the rings suited his tastes, and he ought not spend money anyway. He had to be more frugal if he hoped to build up any sort of savings and move into an actual apartment.

He paused when he caught sight of a row of lace and silk chokers. They were pinned in a velvet box. Most of them were fairly elaborate, with detailed lace trim and heavy charms, but one at the very bottom caught his eye. It was plain, black, a little less than an inch wide. There were no charms or embellishments, and when he touched it, the fabric was smooth and fine. Some sort of silk, that seemed unlikely to fray.

It reminded him of Genma. It reminded him of how Genma had looked the second time they sparred on Raidou’s sixteenth birthday. How he had been sprawled on the ground with his hands pinned to the earth, of his mulish glare at being bested. The way the position had made his pale throat stretch, bare except for the strip of haphazardly tied black fabric that drew Raidou’s eyes and made him want to-

“Do you like that one, dear?”

Raidou shook himself out of the memory, swallowing hard to dispel the aching want that had swelled in his throat. The shopkeeper, an old, brittle Lightning woman with orange eyes nearly hidden in her wrinkles, was watching him with a toothless smile.

“Ah- yes, baa-chan, it’s lovely.” He bowed his head a little. “How much would you like for it?”

“Hm…” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I can give you a good deal if you want it and a pretty charm. It’s far too plain to woo any lady worth your while.”

Raidou laughed, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. “Ah, no. She… will like it, as it is, I think. I’ll pay whatever price you think is fair.”

“Idiot,” Asuma muttered beside him, still appraising multiple trinkets himself.

He ended up paying far more from the choker than it was likely worth, but Raidou liked having it stashed away in his pocket for the rest of their mission. He found himself reaching for it as they flew through trees, rubbing the delicate fabric between his fingers and thinking of Genma when he missed him too sorely. It was enough of a comfort to get him back home.

\---

They returned to Konoha late in the afternoon, and each took a shower and found something to eat before sitting down to write their report together. Shisui transcribed as they all talked through the extended mission, each admitting to missed opportunities and places they had been bested, including the jutsu Raidou had caught that had rendered his arm basically useless until Shisui had the opportunity to heal him. Recounting it made a dull ache start under his bandages, and Raidou was eager to escape headquarters and go home.

More accurately, he was chomping at the bit to visit Genma.

It was dark by the time they finished and parted ways. Raidou forced himself to return to his own apartment first, to change into clothes that weren’t stale from his locker and find a small box for the gift that was still burning a hole in his pocket. He puttered around in his already neat apartment, trying to prove to himself that he wasn’t overly eager to get to Genma, and managed to last ten minutes before heading upstairs to knock at Genma’s door.

Genma answered in his pajamas. His hair was loose, his usual bandana gone. His hair was over-directed to one side, messy as if he’d been rubbing at his scalp. It made him look softer, especially paired with his sleepy eyes. Raidou immediately felt guilty for visiting so late, and smiled sheepishly over the threshold at Genma, whose brows had lifted at the sight of him.

“You’re late,” Genma said, and turned away to walk into the apartment, leaving the door open for Raidou to follow. The sound of his voice was an instant salve to Raidou’s mission-worn nerves. He followed, closing and locking the door behind him.

“I know.” He leaned over to slide off his shoes, putting them neatly in the corner. He rearranged Genma’s own haphazardly tossed sandals beside them. “My trip got extended. It turns out we had a reservation at a resort in the mountains in addition to a trip to the onsen.” It was easy to fall into their personal mission code again, a loophole to talk about what they otherwise weren’t allowed to discuss. “Have you gotten to go on a trip?”

Genma took a seat on the bed, and as much as Raidou wanted to sit beside him, he didn’t particularly trust himself at the moment. He turned one of the kitchen chairs instead, straddling it to face Genma. 

“Just a short vacation.” Genma folded one leg beneath him, watching Raidou with his usual level stare. It betrayed nothing, and Raidou tried not to be too frustrated. He examined him quickly, not noticing any obvious injuries, but that didn’t mean Genma hadn’t seen battle while he was gone.

“How was the weather?” Raidou asked, unable to stop himself from frowning. He hated being away when Genma was sent on a mission. He knew it was silly, since Genma was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, and there was nothing he could do if Genma ran into trouble anyway, but still. It was disconcerting to be so far away.

The lazy smirk Genma shot him said that he’d absolutely noticed Raidou’s mood. He rolled his toothpick across his lips in that distracting way, and said, “Just a little rain,” with a dismissive shrug. Raidou felt himself relax immediately, flexing his hands against the back of his chair. “How about you?”

Raidou shrugged back, and lifted his wounded arm for Genma’s inspection. Genma’s eyes locked on immediately, lips pressing together in a small frown. “We had to travel through a thunderstorm and a blizzard. I got struck by lightning. Can you believe it?”

“It’s just not safe on the road these days,” Genma said. He sounded distracted, and leaned forward, inspecting Raidou’s extended arm. His touch was gentle, barely brushing against Raidou’s bandaged wrist. He did his best to repress a shiver. “You okay?” Genma looked up at him, a small frown still tugging at his lips. It was as effusive a show of concern as Genma ever made, and Raidou didn’t bother hiding a faint smile.

“Fine.” He retracted his arm, reaching into his pocket instead. “I missed your birthday,” he said, changing the subject. He held the small box up so that Genma could see it, offering it to him.

Genma’s brow arched, mouth going lax around his toothpick for a moment. “A present?” He took it from Raidou’s palm, weighing it in his own hand. His brows arched further, a small smirk curling his lips. “A box,” he corrected dryly.

Raidou rolled his eyes at the jab. “Just open it, brat.” He sat back in his seat, bracing his crossed arms on the back of the chair. He watched Genma open the gift, anticipation building in his stomach. When Genma picked up the necklace, he made a noise that went straight to Raidou’s cock, a small, pleased gasp that his tired brain immediately recontextualized into a more erotic scenario. 

“Is this jewelry?” Genma looked up at him, a small furrow between his brows. Raidou glanced away with a lazy shrug, trying to reign himself in. He was being too serious about this. It was just a birthday gift between friends from Genma’s perspective. There was no need for Raidou to get… weird.

“Yeah.” Raidou looked back up at him, schooling his features into something neutral. “It reminded me of you. That necklace you used to wear when we were kids.”

“That one was just a piece of cloth I tied together,” Genma pointed out. “This is really nice, Raidou, it must have been expensive.”

“Not that expensive.” Raidou shrugged again. Best Genma didn’t know that he’d spent more on it than he had on any of his own jewelry, ever. “Try it on. It might not fit, anyway.”

Genma looked down at the necklace again, his hair falling across his face and shielding him from Raidou’s view. Raidou shifted carefully in his chair, watching Genma’s thin, scarred fingers brush over the fabric in a way that looked almost reverent. It was doing nothing to stop the unfortunate arousal stirring in Raidou. Suddenly, he couldn’t wait to see how the fabric would look on Genma’s pale throat. He’d been picturing it for days, but the concept was nothing compared to reality- and had Genma’s fingers always seemed quite so seductive?

Genma lifted the fabric to his throat, sweeping his hair out of his way as he fought against the delicate clasps. The way the fabric dragged over Genma’s skin made Raidou’s mouth go dry. When he had it situated, Genma ran his fingers across it to inspect the fit. Raidou shifted carefully in his seat, abruptly grateful that the chair was blocking Genma’s view of him as his cock swelled. This was rapidly spiralling out of Raidou’s control.

“Well?” Raidou asked, and was proud when his voice didn’t come out as raspy as he expected it to. Genma looked up at him, and the eye contact was enough to send another uncomfortable sizzle of arousal down his spine. Raidou blinked slowly through it, flexing a hand against his knee.

“It fits,” Genma said, and was his voice softer than usual? “How does it look?”

Genma dropped his hands to his lap, and tipped his head to the side, baring his throat for Raidou to see. Raidou’s nails bit into his skin through the fabric of his pants as his eyes locked onto the column of Genma’s throat. It looked as perfect as he’d imagined, a far more adult version of the previous necklace. And it couldn’t have looked more to Raidou like a seal of ownership if it literally had his name written across it. The way Genma’s head was tipped was so inviting, Raidou wondered if he intended it to be so. Raidou wanted to lean in and kiss it, bite around the cloth. Slide a hand up his throat, tuck his fingers beneath the delicate fabric and _squeeze_ -

Genma’s hands flexed around his gift box and the motion was enough to break Raidou from his reverie. He swallowed and let out a slow breath through his nose, before he said, “Good.” His voice was soft, probably softer and more intimate than the situation called for. “Looks good.”

“Thank you.” Genma dropped his head again, looking down at his lap. It was suddenly easier to breathe, the tension in the room snapping like a rubber band. “For the gift.”

“You’re welcome,” Raidou murmured, affection swelling in his chest. Genma, gentle and sweet, was rare, and Raidou felt like he needed to tuck the moment into his pocket, to treasure it for later. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks,” Genma said again. And then he stood, dismissing the last, lingering tension as he moved across the room to the fridge. “You hungry?” he asked.

“I could eat,” Raidou agreed. He pressed the heel of his hand discreetly into the base of his cock, silently willing his erection away as they fell into comfortable conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> raidou is constantly horny and has a real kink for genma's throat and also the rest of genma. that's it, that's the story.


	3. a new home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been ten days since Iruka moved into the Uzumaki-Namikaze household, and he hated it. It wasn’t that Minato and Kushina weren’t nice, because they were. But all Iruka felt was sad. This house was unfamiliar, and these people were unfamiliar. The one thing Iruka did like about his new home, with no caveats, was Naruto.
> 
> or: a glimpse into iruka's new life with his new family, featuring baby naruto and sasuke.

It had been ten days since Iruka moved into the Uzumaki-Namikaze household, and he hated it. It wasn’t that Minato and Kushina weren’t nice, because they were. As soon as his parents died, they had leapt into action to take care of him, and they didn’t even really know him. They had worked with his parents, sure, but it wasn’t like they were actually friends. Iruka had never met them, anyway.

But that didn’t change the fact that they had brought him into their home. They had prepared a bedroom for him, with a mix of nice, new things, and old things they’d gathered from his home with his parents, including his baby blanket and photo albums he didn’t think he would see again. And they asked him a ton of questions about what he liked to eat, and what he liked to do, and they were obviously trying hard to make him feel welcome.

But all Iruka felt was sad. This house was unfamiliar, and these people were unfamiliar. They were younger than his parents, and they had a baby, not a kid. They didn’t know what to do with him. He missed being with Mizuki. Mizuki was the only one who understood how he felt. And without Mizuki by his side to tell him to be strong and get over it, all he could focus on was… how much he missed his parents.

And on how badly his body hurt. All of his muscles felt sore and tender, like he’d played too hard and run too much, but all over. It made him miss his parents even more, desperately wishing he could climb into his mother’s lap (even though he was too old for that) and have her stroke his hair and tell him he was alright.

But the one thing Iruka did like about his new home, with no caveats, was Naruto. Iruka had never been around a baby before, so everything about Naruto was new and distracting. He was barely six months old, and unbelievably tiny. He was barely a person yet. Sometimes, at night, he would scream and cry, and wake up the whole house. Kushina and Minato always apologized when it woke Iruka up, but Iruka didn’t mind; he spent most of his time wanting to scream and cry too.

On his tenth evening in his new home, Kushina’s friend Mikoto came to visit, and with her came Sasuke.

“Say hello, Iruka-san, Sasuke-kun!” Mikoto cooed when she walked in. She made the little baby in her arms wave one chubby fist at Iruka.

“Hi, Sasuke-kun,” Iruka said shyly, eyes bouncing between the baby and Mikoto.

“Sasuke is a few months older than Naruto,” Kushina said, squeezing Iruka’s shoulder gently. He winced a little at the pressure on his sore muscles. Kushina and Minato hadn’t noticed that he was in pain yet, and he hadn’t gotten the courage to complain. He privately thought complaining might make them send him back. “They like to play together.”

“Tummy-time is a team sport,” Mikoto agreed.

They ended up settling on the living room floor with both boys, while Iruka hovered on the couch, watching them play. Naruto couldn’t quite sit up yet without Kushina’s support, so Kushina kept a protective hand on his back while she and Mikoto chatted over the boy’s heads. Sasuke was already sitting up mostly on his own, and was studiously collecting all of the toys that were spread on the blanket around them with chunky, clumsy fists. Naruto was doing his best to help, chattering constant little sounds. Sasuke was replying as if he knew exactly what Naruto was saying, babbling back in an only slightly more coherent manner, as if he knew the rhythm of talking even though he still couldn’t make words.

After a while, Iruka noticed that they were growing sleepy. Naruto was fully reclined against Kushina, making grabbing gestures in Sasuke’s direction without really trying to reach for their soft toys anymore. Sasuke kept opening his mouth in wide little yawns, industrious organization of their toys slowing down.

“Nap time,” Mikoto declared. “You want to nap, Sasuke-kun?” She pet a hand over his dark hair, and he looked up at her with dark, serious eyes. He did something similar to a nod, and Iruka wondered if he really understood what she was saying. He didn’t know when babies could distinguish that kind of thing, and Naruto certainly never seemed to understand him when he tried to tell him things. But Naruto had begun to smile at the sound of his voice, and reach for him with fat little hands, so Iruka didn’t mind so much if he understood or not.

Kushina scooted all of the toys to the foot of the blanket, ignoring Naruto’s plaintive little whines. She laid him gently on his belly on the blanket, and he immediately started squirming. Naruto didn’t much care for being still, and he’d recently figured out how to roll onto his back and had been using that new skill to roll across the floor whenever Kushina or Minato or Iruka turned their backs.

“Shh,” Kushina hummed, rubbing his little back. He didn’t settle until Mikoto laid Sasuke down on his tummy right beside him. Then he went mostly still, kicking his little legs a bit as he stared at Sasuke with big blue eyes. Sasuke settled immediately, sticking his fingers into his mouth.

“Iruka-kun?”

Iruka looked away from the babies when Kushina spoke, smiling a little. He still wasn’t sure what to make of her, hesitant to be anything but polite. “Yes, Kushina-san?”

“Do you want to watch the babies while we have tea?” Kushina was still rubbing Naruto’s back in gentle circles, and it made Iruka just a little jealous. “They’re going to go to sleep, so you just need to stay in the room with them while they settle.”

Iruka nodded, unfolding his legs slowly from where they’d been tucked beneath his chin. “I can do that.”

“We’ll be just in the kitchen.” Kushina stood up and Mikoto followed suit. They disappeared into the other room, still quietly chatting.

Iruka waited until they were gone to crawl onto the floor beside the babies. He laid where he had a clear view of both of their faces, and could easily reach out to still either one of them if they tried to make an escape. Sasuke already looked half asleep, while Naruto was still watching his little friend with alert eyes. Iruka reached out to continue rubbing Naruto’s back, hoping to help him doze off too.

Sasuke fell asleep shortly, but Naruto seemed determined to keep his eyes open. Every few seconds his eyes would begin to droop closed, and then he’d catch himself and open them wide again with snuffly little noises of irritation. He didn’t take his eyes off of Sasuke.

“Naruto-kun,” Iruka whispered eventually. “You can sleep, you know. Sasuke is sleeping too, you see him?”

Naruto just made another snuffly noise, kicking his feet restlessly. He reached a clumsy fist towards Sasuke, who was just a bit too far away to touch. Iruka took his hand instead, letting Naruto squeeze his finger as a consolation.

“Do you love Sasuke, Naruto-kun?” Iruka pet his thumb against Naruto’s little fingers gently. Naruto looked up at the sound of his name, pale brows furrowing. He huffed. “Shh, it’s okay.” Iruka smiled a little bit, heart clenching when Naruto’s mouth went soft, eyes focusing on Iruka’s face. “I’ll keep your secret.”

Naruto made another little fussy noise, and Iruka scooted closer to nuzzle into his hair, cooing softly. “Shh, shh. Just go to sleep. We’re right here.” He scooted Naruto carefully across the blanket so he could reach out and touch Sasuke. Sasuke huffed in his sleep when one little fist smacked his arm. Between Iruka’s cooing and his new ability to reach out and touch his friend, Naruto seemed content enough to doze off. Iruka fell asleep too, comforted by the small, warm body of his new brother.

It didn’t feel like home yet, but as Iruka dozed off, he wondered if some day it might.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> excuse me, sir, that's my emotional support alternate ninja universe.
> 
> will i continue writing in the verse forever? no. will i write anything that comes to mind until it stops providing me with that sweet, sweet serotonin? absolutely.
> 
> find me on tumblr at [noodletastic](https://noodletastic.tumblr.com).


	4. missing in action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raidou folded his hands in the small of his back, chin lifted and shoulders strong. “I would like to submit myself for the recovery mission of Shiranui Genma. I will not be led by emotion. I see it as my duty to go in place of his friends who cannot. And it is my duty to Konoha to recover one of my comrades.”
> 
> or: raidou's perspective of the genma recovery mission seen in "treading water."

Every part of Raidou’s body ached. He’d come to recognize the pain as satisfaction from a hard day's work, of hours spent changing his body into something to be proud of. A weapon and a shield of Konoha.

But that didn’t change the fact that he felt like he needed to soak his body in a tub of ice to reduce the swelling and then sleep for a week to recover.

“What did I do to her, Shisui?” he groaned. He was sitting on the bench of the pre-genin locker room, back in his street clothes. He was stretching his arms slowly across his chest, wincing at his tender muscles. The mild relief of a hot shower already wearing off. “She doesn’t beat the shit out of you like this.”

“It’s because I’m better than you,” Shisui said lazily. He glanced over, buttoning the front of his jeans, and grinned. “Kohai.”

“Fuck off.” Raidou glowered, and then immediately winced as he stretched too far, shoulders screaming at him. “Ow.”

Shisui huffed a laugh and pulled on his shirt. He bumped his locker closed with a shoulder and stepped over Raidou’s feet, headed for the door. “Come on, let’s go eat.”

“Is anyone still going to be open at this hour?” They had trained well into the evening, past dark already when they returned to change. Weekends were ideal for night training for pre-enlistment shinobi.

“Probably Ichiraku. It’s a weekend, and it’s just past midnight.”

“Oh yeah.” Raidou trailed after him. He idly admired Shisui’s wild curls, and the way the ink black spirals clung to the pale nape of his neck, still damp from his shower. “Your treat, right?”

“Fine,” Shisui agreed easily, holding the door for him to exit first into the main atrium.

“Hmm, maybe dumplings too,” Raidou mused, and stopped short at the scene unfolding before him.

There was a small cluster of people in the middle of the room, half of them full fledged ANBU, and half of them trainees. Raidou recognized most of them. Shikaku-taichou was in the middle of the group, holding up his hands in mild exasperation at the teenagers gathered before him. Behind him were Minato-sensei and his wife, whose name Raidou didn’t know. Next to them was Ibiki, who Raidou had gotten drinks with just the week before, and a tall man with silver hair was the White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo.

In front of them were a group of teens slightly younger than Raidou, who he used to train with. He hadn’t seen most of them since he’d been taken in as a kenjutsu specialist. There was Hatake Kakashi, who Raidou was sure would be an ANBU leader as soon as he graduated. He’d already been cleared for missions. Then there was Shisui’s cousin, Obito, and Maito Gai, for once in his training blacks rather than his vibrant green street wear. There was a somber boy Raidou didn’t recognize, and at the front of the pack was Rin, who used to heal Raidou at least once a week.

And she was yelling, her small fists clenched tightly at her sides, tears wobbling in her eyes. “If he’s lost, one of us should go!”

“Noharu, stand down,” Shikaku said mildly. “You’re too green. Those of you that are cleared for service are too close-”

“Genma is younger than me!” she snapped, cutting him off. “If he can be out there, I can be out there! Let me come-”

“Your specialty isn’t combat, Rin-chan,” Minato-sensei’s wife said. Her large blue eyes were sympathetic, one hand resting on her chest. “Please, you need to trust us-”

“You lost him already,” Obito snapped. His fists were clenched tight, and even from a distance, Raidou could see that his eyes were blood red.

“Enough,” Sakumo said, holding up a hand. “There’s no time for us to argue, if you want us to find him.”

“Chichi,” Kakashi said, and it was the most emotion Raidou had ever heard from the slender boy. “Please, let one of us go. If he’s hurt-”

“No,” Sakumo said firmly. “You will compromise the mission. Do you want to put Genma in more danger, Kakashi?”

Kakashi bowed his head, but Raidou could see his grief in the tight tension of his narrow shoulders. “ _Please_ ,” he said, voice taunt.

“No.”

“Take Kakashi!” Obito gestured at him, taking a step forward. “His nose- he knows Genma, he’ll be able to find him the fastest-”

“Do you doubt our abilities to track him?” Minato asked calmly, tilting his head. “We want to find him as badly as you do.”

“You don’t,” Gai said, and to Raidou’s surprise, his voice was firm and level, none of his usual theatrics coloring his tone. “He isn’t your friend.”

“Which is why they will find him and not get distracted by their emotions,” Shikaku interjected, his usual bored tone growing terse. “This behaviour is unbecoming of a shinobi. You are losing our respect, the more you speak.”

“I don’t want your respect!” Obito snarled, and Shisui seemed to think that this was the moment to step in. In a flash, he appeared behind his cousin, hands landing on his narrow shoulders.

“Easy,” he said gently. “What’s going on?”

“Genma is lost!” Obito whipped his head around, batting Shisui’s hands away. “And they won’t let us help-”

“I’ll go,” Raidou said, and the words were out before he even knew he was going to speak them. Every eye turned to him, and it was difficult not to lower his chin under the combined gaze. “I know Genma distantly. I’ve trained with him. But he’s not my friend. I can be impartial.” He turned his eyes to Obito, Rin, Kakashi, Gai, and their somber friend in turn. “Will you let me go in your stead?”

“Why?” Kakashi said, and his dark eyes were as hard as flint.

“I can do what you can’t. I promise to return him for you.” Raidou bowed his head to them, hands against his side. “I won’t return without him.”

The silence hung in the air, and Rin was the one to break it. “Please bring him home safe, Raidou-senpai,” she said softly.

“I haven’t approved this,” Shikaku pointed out, exasperation coloring his tone.

Raidou looked up at him, swallowing his nerves at facing the commander for the first time. “Taichou, I’ve been cleared for duty. My first mission was slated for next weekend.” He shifted, folding his hands in the small of his back, chin lifted. “I would like to submit myself for the recovery mission of Shiranui Genma. I will not be led by emotion. I see it as my duty to go in place of his friends who cannot. And it is my duty to Konoha to recover one of my comrades.”

Shikaku looked at him shrewdly, before looking at the cluster of teens before him. “Will you leave me be if I let him go?”

“Yes,” Rin and Gai said together.

“Very well. Approved, Namiashi.”

Raidou let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, and nodded. “Yes, taichou.”

“Raidou-kun.” Minato gestured him over immediately, and guided their new five-man squad into a huddle. “The battle ground was less than five hours from here. At this point, our best option is to return there and spread out. Ibiki and I made it back in three, and I want us to push for covering the same distance in two.” He turned calm blue eyes on Raidou. “Can you handle that?”

Raidou nodded. “Whatever needs to be done.”

Minato looked at him thoughtfully, before nodding. “We leave in fifteen minutes. Please prepare yourselves.”

The rest of the squad split away, heading towards the main locker rooms. Raidou was left to go to the pre-ANBU lockers alone. He bypassed the younger group, heading straight to his locker to change again.

He heard Shisui following him, and heard him tell the assembled teens to wait. Raidou was already unlocking his locker and sorting through his unbroken ANBU uniform when Shisui caught up.

“Are you sure about this?”

“I don’t really have an option now.” He tugged off his shirt and pants shamelessly. It was nothing Shisui hadn’t seen before anyway. He slid on his uniform pants, the fabric stiff, but loose around his legs. Plenty of flexibility. He sat down with a roll of bandages to wrap his ankles, and spared Shisui a glance where he was leaning against the lockers. “They were panicking and stopping the mission from moving forward. I just saved them another half-hour of arguing.”

Shisui sighed. “You’ve been training all day and haven’t eaten since lunch. You’ve got to be depleted.”

“Again.” He shrugged, shifting to wrap his thigh where he would strap his pouch. “No option now.”

“You’re a softie.”

“I’ve met Genma. He seemed like a good kid.” He stood up, pulling on his thin cotton undershirt and tucking it carefully into his pants before shrugging on his vest and beginning on the straps. “Anyway, did you see them? They’re way too young for field work.”

“Itachi’s already in the field and he’s two years younger than them.”

“Yeah, that’s not really helping the argument.” Raidou huffed a laugh and looked up when Shisui’s hands fell on his shoulders. Shisui eyes were concerned, heavy lashes casting his cheeks in shadows.

“Don’t do anything stupid. Remember.” He tapped Raidou’s breast bone. “Center yourself. Your balance, your focus, your breath.” 

Raidou softened, the fizzle of anxiety under his skin dissipating. “I know, senpai.”

“And I mean it. Don’t do anything stupid.” Shisui frowned a little, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “Don’t engage in a fight you can’t win.”

“Are you telling me to abandon him if he’s in trouble?” Raidou arched a brow.

“No.” Shisui rolled his eyes and stepped back. “You wouldn’t listen even if I did. Just take care of yourself.”

Raidou shook his head and started strapping on his arm guards. “I’ll be fine.” He finished dressing in silence, putting on his sword last.

“Eat this.” Raidou glanced up to see that Shisui was holding out a small pouch of soldier pills.

“Thanks.” He took one and popped it in his mouth, then put the rest of the pouch into his pocket. “Don’t worry so much.”

“Easier said than done. I’ll tell sensei you’ve left.”

“She’s going to flip her shit.” Raidou laughed and picked up his mask, turning to the door.

Kakashi was standing at the end of the row of lockers, his narrow arms crossed. He was staring down at them with dark eyes, most of his expression hidden behind his fabric mask. He struck quite the intimidating figure for someone whose head would barely reach Raidou’s clavicle.

“Kakashi-kun,” Shisui chastised. “I told you all to wait-”

“He admires you,” Kakashi interrupted, his eyes firmly on Raidou. 

Raidou frowned, confusion overwhelming his racing mind. “What?”

“Genma. He admires you.” Kakashi lifted his chin. “Don’t disappoint him.”

Raidou thought of what he could remember of Genma. They hadn’t interacted much. They passed each other at practice, and Genma had never met his eyes- except the one time they’d sparred. When Genma had tried to lose, had stiffly pointed out that Raidou never won a match. Had admitted, without admitting, that he’d been watching Raidou.

He admired him?

Fresh resolve formed in his chest. If Kakashi’s aim had been to create some sort of personal connection for Raidou, he had succeeded. Raidou rolled his shoulders back to stand tall, and nodded. “I’ll bring him home.”

“My father will probably be the one to find him,” Kakashi said after a moment. “You aren’t even a tracker. But.” He looked away, sullen. “Thank you for going in our place.”

The door swung open behind him and Ibiki stuck his head in. “Raidou. Let’s go.”

Raidou gave Kakashi one last nod and clapped Shisui on the shoulder before following Ibiki. He strapped on his mask in the atrium and ignored the cluster of teenagers watching him. The mask felt foreign against his skin, made him feel- different. He wasn’t sure if he liked the feeling, but he didn’t have much time to think about it as he followed the rest of his squad out of the facility.

\---

“We were retrieving intel from an agent from Yusagakure,” Minato explained. They were already sailing through the trees outside of Konoha, at a pace that made Raidou’s legs burn. He didn’t complain, grateful for the soldier pill that had already replenished his chakra. The medicine produced an unfamiliar energy that felt less stable than Raidou was familiar with. He suddenly understood why they were taught not to rely on them, faintly dizzy from the jarring effect. He knew the comedown would be a bitch tomorrow, when the side-effects of false rest and replenishment caught up with him.

“Did they turn on you?” Raidou asked. His breathing was loud beneath the porcelain, and the steam of it made his lip sweat unpleasantly.

“No. We were returning when we ran into a group of Kusagakure defectors. They sensed us before we could avoid them and attacked when we asked what business they had on our land.” Minato paused. “There were six of them. We didn’t notice that one of them had chased Genma off until they were already out of range. They were well trained.”

Which meant Genma was likely already dead. A pre-ANBU against an S-rank criminal? Survival was unlikely. Raidou wondered if this detail had been shared with Genma’s friends. The rest of the journey was spent in silence, Minato directing them through the trees with hand signs and bird calls.

They landed in the battle field just over two hours after leaving Konoha. The trees for the last mile had been slick, drenched from a passing rain. The ground itself was muddy, and yet still so soaked in blood that Raidou could taste it through his mask. There was a pile of smoldering bones in the center, the only thing left of the enemies that Minato and Ibiki had taken down. This was the battle and war that Raidou had been warned about in his training, and he didn’t care for it.

Minato drew them back into a huddle. “Hound?”

“No trace of him,” Sakumo said. “The rain washed any trail away.”

Minato nodded once. “Then we fan out. We don’t know where he was led. We’ll go in four directions. Goat, I want you to go with Ox-”

“I can go on my own,” Raidou interjected. “We can cover more ground that way.”

“It’s your first mission,” Kushina said gently. “You should have someone-”

“With all due respect,” Raidou said, “I’m capable of taking care of myself. If he’s injured, we need to find him quickly.”

The adults were silent, gazing at him through expressionless porcelain. Sakumo was the one to speak.

“He’s right. And if there was only one remaining opponent, then there’s no harm.”

Minato somehow looked hesitant even behind his mask, before nodding. “We’ll split in five directions. Recon one mile out each. If there’s no trace of him, return. If the trail leads outside of the radius we’ve set, return and we’ll set out together.”

Raidou didn’t argue. But he also didn’t believe that any of them would stop following a trail if they found one. At least, he wouldn’t.

They took to the trees again. Raidou headed northeast on his own, sailing through the branches and keeping an eye out for any sign of Genma. His mind was a mess. He couldn’t stop thinking of Kakashi and the others back home, waiting for a friend who may very well already be dead. He found himself unsettled by the attitude of the adults, because even though they seemed legitimately concerned, there was a level of disconnect between their duty and their feelings that Raidou couldn’t comprehend. Genma was still virtually a child, and they had lost him in the midst of battle. It should have never happened. And here Raidou was, on his own first mission, likely on his way to recover a body. He had expected his first mission to be exciting, but instead dread had settled in his stomach like a heavy stone. 

And then he thought of Genma, who had been more skilled than Raidou even though he was nearly two years his junior. He had always looked sullen to Raidou, with his serious gaze and clenched teeth. Raidou hadn’t seen him in nearly a year, but he couldn’t imagine that he’d gotten much bigger; Raidou remembered him being rather small as a child, like he often missed meals. Even though he’d been skilled, Raidou couldn’t picture him in an ANBU uniform, already in the field.

He came to a sudden stop when he heard something other than the quiet drip of water from the trees and faint pre-dawn bird-songs. He focused in on the distant noise, trying to place it, and realized that it was someone speaking in the distance. He proceeded cautiously, picking his way through the trees and carefully masking his chakra to avoid alerting anyone of his approach.

He stopped when the voice became clear, peering through the trees. He could see a woman, clearly a shinobi, with a tanto blade in her hand. She was walking down a limb, looking towards the tree. Raidou had to lean to see where she was looking, and crouched there could be no one other than Genma, a cat mask covering his face. He looked unbelievably small, compared to what Raidou had come to expect of the battle-ready bodies of ANBU.

“Nothing to say?” the woman said, and her voice had a chill that made Raidou’s skin pebble, hairs standing on end. “Then I’ll just have to make you yowl.”

She lunged for Genma, and Raidou moved quickly, but not quickly enough. Genma managed to dodge, sliding around the tree limb. The woman’s tanto blade made a sickening noise as it thudded into the tree where he had been. For a moment, he looked as if he would cling to the branch, but whatever chakra he’d been using to adhere himself released, and he fell to the ground. The woman followed. Raidou landed silently on the branch where they had been.

Below, Genma was already struggling to his knees. He was clearly injured. His chest was heaving as he gasped for air, and still he lifted his kunai as the woman moved to attack him again. Raidou knew with sudden, terrified certainty that he wouldn’t be able to evade her again.

He pushed chakra through his legs, flicker-stepping to intercept her strike. His sword felt like an extension of his arm as he drew it, and caught her blade against his in a flash of sparks. Her strike was powerful, far stronger than someone her size should have been able to manage. She was over a head shorter than Raidou, but she didn’t back down, growling as she pushed their blades together.

Her eyes were wild, more like a cornered animal than a human. This was the person who had chosen the weakest, youngest enemy, and hunted them through the forest. It was obvious that she could have killed Genma with ease, whenever she had liked. But instead she had been playing with him, likely for hours. Raidou had just arrived at the moment she chose to make her killing blow.

He would not allow it.

With a snarl he shoved her back, whipping his blade in a quick arc that both pushed her away and landed a shallow slice to the bare skin of her arm in one swift motion. She jumped back and out of his range, eyeing him with a sharp grin. Her posture changed, suddenly more dangerous and alert. It only confirmed that she hadn’t been taking Genma seriously. At the sight of an unknown opponent, who looked more like an adult, she stopped playing games.

“Well, well,” she cooed. “Someone’s come to save you, kitten.”

The mocking nickname rankled Raidou, but he forced himself to stay calm. He focused on his center as he’d been taught, silently thanking Shisui for the parting reminder. He didn’t know if he could take this woman, so his best move now was to avoid or delay direct combat. With more confidence than he truly felt, he said, “You should go. You only have about twelve hours.”

It wasn’t a lie. His blade was treated in a specific poison that only he, his sensei, and the medics of Konoha held the antidote to; it was uncommon and nearly untreatable, though the effects were far from immediate. She could kill them both before it began attacking her body.

She twirled her blade. It struck Raidou as showy and disrespectful, the mark of someone with no reverence for the art of swordplay. He clenched his teeth and shifted his feet, grounding himself. He kept his own blade still, firmly positioned to defend himself and his comrade.

“What are you talking about?” Her mouth twisted into an ugly sneer.

“Look at your arm.”

She glanced down and Raidou had to force himself not to engage while she was distracted. He had to avoid direct conflict at all costs. Adrenaline was coursing through him, making his muscles tremble in anticipation. She looked back at him with a scoff. “That’s barely a scratch.”

“It’s enough.” He kept his voice even, careful not to taunt her and incite another attack. “You’ll feel the poison soon, don’t worry.”

The cocky expression slipped away from her face, lips parting and eyes widening in shock. “Poison- you bastard.”

“A skilled medic may be able to do something about it,” he said mildly. It was unlikely. “At the very least, they may be able to stop the creeping paralysis that will begin in the next thirty minutes.” He paused, letting the words hang in the air, before continuing with just a hint of ridicule in his tone. “How long will it take you to get to someone, I wonder?”

Her eyes turned towards Genma and Raidou’s muscles spasmed, irritation nearly making him move yet again. She narrowed her gaze, expression full of hatred, before she looked back at Raidou. “Konoha scum.” She spit in his direction and then leapt into the trees. Raidou stayed absolutely still, waiting to see if she was bluffing. He tilted his head to listen, and could just place the sound of receding steps before she was completely out of his range. He waited an extra beat before relaxing his posture, sliding his blade back into its sheath.

It was only by luck that she’d believed him, and put enough value in herself to seek out help immediately instead of choosing to kill them then and there.

Raidou turned to face Genma, looking down at him through his mask. “Are you okay?”

Genma nodded stiffly. He had struggled to his feet, but Raidou could see the repressed heaving of his chest. He hadn’t caught his breath just yet. ”Yes.”

“Are you sure?” Raidou gazed down at him, taking stock of his condition himself. He was cut in several places where his skin was bare between his short uniform sleeves and arm braces. There were slashes in his armored vest, that had sliced through the fabric, but not the protection underneath. There were holes in his pants, too, though they were too loose for Raidou to tell whether his skin had been cut too. His right arm was hanging uncomfortably at his side, and his weapon was in his left hand. If Raidou remembered correctly, his right hand was his dominant one. He was favoring his right foot, hip cocked to the side to avoid putting any weight on his left.

He was absolutely not alright.

Genma’s mask hid his expression, but he straightened his shoulders, likely in an effort to make himself look stronger. It did nothing to change the obvious presentation of his injuries. “Yes,” he repeated.

Raidou stared at him for a long moment. He was clearly still afraid, likely hadn’t slept in hours, was in obvious pain- and Raidou was not an original member of his team. He had enough of Genma’s trust for Genma to lower his weapon, but he didn’t know who Raidou was beyond another ANBU. And even if they were comrades, it was too ingrained in shinobi culture to look strong in the face of a stranger.

He tipped his head to the side, listening for any movement nearby. There was nothing, and Raidou was confident that the enemy nin had fled. He lifted a hand to his mask, chastising himself internally for breaking one of the most important ANBU tenets in his first mission. But regardless of the rules, he still slid his mask to the side just enough for Genma to see his face and recognize it.

The effect was immediate, even if Genma tried to subdue his reaction. His shoulders slumped down again, and he leaned back a bit in a silent show of surprise. Raidou replaced his mask over his face, smiling to himself.

“Your team came for help when they couldn’t find you after they neutralized the rest of the enemies. Your friends wanted to come, but taichou wouldn’t allow it. I promised to find you in their place.” He did his best to sound comforting without being demeaning. He had a feeling that coddling Genma might make him defensive once more.

“You’re in the field,” Genma said, voice faint with disbelief.

Raidou resisted the urge to laugh, tipping his head to the side. “I’ve learned a lot since we last trained together,” he teased.

“I thought you’d quit,” Genma said, voice returning to familiar stoicism. “You stopped coming to conditioning.”

“It’s a long story.” He stepped closer, reaching a hand out to squeeze Genma’s good arm, careful to avoid any cuts. His skin was cool to the touch. “Seriously, can you run?”

Genma hesitated, before shaking his head. “My ankle’s shot,” he said, a shadow of irritation or maybe even shame in his tone. “I can’t even lift my arm.”

Raidou let out a slow, sympathetic hiss. He’d expected both injuries, but his arm was worse than Raidou had expected if he couldn’t even lift it. “We’re not far from the rendezvous point.” He wished he knew something about healing, so that he could ease some of the pain immediately, but- “I can’t heal you, but I can carry you.”

“No,” Genma said brusquely. Yet another sign that he was embarrassed, which was ridiculous. It wasn’t his fault he’d been run down by the enemy on a mission where he wasn’t even supposed to see battle. He’d been unprepared for this mission in every way, even if he was fully qualified to start doing low-rank excursions.

“We don’t know if anyone else is out here,” Raidou reminded him calmly. “We need to get back to the others.” He hesitated for a moment, before making his decision. He twisted his sword to cross his chest rather than his back, and turned to crouch in front of him. “Climb aboard.”

“This isn’t necessary,” Genma stated firmly. Raidou just patted his own shoulder, ignoring his argument in silence. There wasn’t another option, and Raidou wouldn’t let him try to run with those injuries only to make them worse.

There was a long moment of hesitation before Raidou felt Genma’s left arm settle around his shoulders. Before he could change his mind, Raidou stood, hands tucking beneath Genma’s thighs to lift him fully onto his back. Even with the artificial assistance of his soldier pill, he could feel his muscles protest. He ignored it, instead focusing on the weight of Genma’s chest against his back, and how cold the skin of Genma’s arm was where it brushed against his throat.

“Comfortable?” Raidou checked, just in case he was pressing against any unseen wounds.

Genma’s body was tense, but he settled his chin hesitantly against Raidou’s shoulder anyway. “Just peachy,” he muttered, voice directly in his ear. Raidou felt himself relax at last, letting out a huff of relief. He’d kept his promise. He’d found Genma, he’d saved him, and he would take him safely home.

He leapt into the trees, carefully navigating the path back to the battleground. Genma didn’t speak, but he did slowly relax against Raidou’s back. It may have been him trusting Raidou, but Raidou privately thought it must be Genma giving into the severity of his wounds and his exhaustion.

It took twenty minutes to make it back, as Raidou took his time navigating the slick trees. It was more important than ever that he not give into his natural clumsiness now, with a precious package on his back. When he landed in the mud, the rest of his squad had already returned, immediately turning towards them. Minato moved towards them as soon as Raidou’s feet hit the ground, stopping directly in front of them.

“Are you alright?” Minato asked.

Raidou was surprised that Genma wasn’t fighting to stand on his own two feet, and shifted slightly to adjust his hold. If Genma didn’t want to get down, he wouldn’t let him.

“My leg and my shoulder are fucked. My pride is also not doing so well.” His tone was bland, and Raidou resisted the urge to laugh at his candor. Ibiki did not, and Raidou shot him a glare even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to see it.

“It could have been so much worse. We’ll get you back and get you fixed up in no time,” Minato said. His tone was soothing, but Raidou privately thought that the sentiment was lost here. It had almost been much, much worse, and Raidou wondered if Genma would even be alive if he hadn’t argued to search on his own. If he’d gone east with Ibiki, they likely wouldn’t have found him in time.

Sakumo stepped forward, nodding his head at Raidou. “I can take him the rest of the way.”

Raidou adjusted his hold on Genma’s legs, hands flexing against his thighs. He suddenly didn’t trust his comrades, not with this. The feeling made his stomach turn. “I’ve got him. If there’s an attack, your hands will be of more use than mine.”

There was a long, weighted pause before Sakumo nodded his ascent. Raidou felt immediate relief, releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Sakumo lifted a hand, making the gesture for “move out” and they were all in the trees again, heading for Konoha.

The rest of the adults fanned out around them, leaving Raidou and Genma protected on all sides. They traveled in silence at a much slower speed than their initial trip. Raidou felt Genma go slowly pliant against him, until his body went heavy with sleep. His head lolled to the side, gently leaning against Raidou’s. His breaths were steady and even. His left hand, that had previously been gripping one of the straps on Raidou’s vest, went lax. Raidou adjusted his posture to make sure Genma wouldn’t slide off of his back and focused intently on each step, a sudden fear of slipping keeping him centered.

Halfway back to Konoha, Minato fell into step beside him. “Cat-”

“He’s asleep,” Raidou interjected, keeping his voice low. Genma’s hand flexed on his chest for just a moment.

Minato didn’t say anything for a few strides. “Very well. Goat, report.”

“I found him just under a mile from the rendezvous point. When I arrived, the missing-nin that I assume had been chasing him in the hours since the initial attack had him cornered. He was already severely injured. I managed to reach him and stop her final attack, which I believe was intended as a killing blow, or the first in several torturous strikes intended to culminate in a killing. She seemed to be playing with him, and likely would have continued torturing him if I hadn’t arrived. We clashed briefly, and I landed a minor cut. When I informed her that my blade is poisonous, and that she had very little time to seek medical attention before paralysis set in, she retreated.” Raidou was careful to keep his voice monotone and to-the-point as he had been trained for reporting in the field. But he couldn’t help editorializing his own perspective, just to be clear how close the encounter had been.

“What did you notice about her?” Minato asked.

“She was small. Five two, maybe, but powerful. I didn’t see much of her fighting style or skills, but my guess is that she was a jounin-level shinobi before defecting. She seemed unhinged. She had a palpable killing intent. She was mocking him when I arrived, and before she left, she labeled us as Konoha scum.”

“Why didn’t you pursue her? She is a potential threat to the state.”

Raidou tensed, and focused once more on his stride, squeezing his hands around Genma’s thighs to remind himself of his goal. Return him safely. “Our mission was to retrieve Cat,” he said carefully. “Pursuing her would have put him in danger and would have been outside of the parameters of the mission as I understood it.”

“Thank you,” Minato said. He surged forward again, retaking the leading position in their formation.

Raidou shifted his head carefully against Genma’s, silently apologizing to him on behalf of the elder shinobi who had unequivocally failed him.

No one spoke again until they were nearly at the city borders. Raidou felt Genma stir, and politely ignored how he stiffened and lifted his head away from his shoulder almost entirely. The sun had already risen, bright in the morning sky. He let Genma take a moment to readjust to wakefulness, before murmuring, “Frog wanted to speak to you. Mission report.”

“Okay,” Genma whispered. His voice was raspy from sleep, and likely dehydration.

“Ready? Or want to wait?” He adjusted his grip on Genma again. His muscles had been screaming for the last two miles as the effects of his soldier pill slowly wore away.

“Ready,” Genma replied, and Raidou suddenly realized that even if Genma didn’t admire him, he admired Genma. He had shown almost no fear, and had not once complained about his circumstances, beyond some embarrassment over his injuries. He was brave. Braver than Raidou believed himself to be.

Raidou swallowed, and whistled a distinct bird-call to alert Minato. Minato fell into step with him again, and the others closed in at their sides.

“Yes?”

“He’s awake,” Raidou said. “He would like to give his report.”

“Oh?” Raidou thought he may be smiling behind his mask. He wasn’t sure what there was to smile about, unless it was the resiliency of Genma’s spirit. He had a feeling that wasn’t what Minato was responding to though, likely more of a reaction to Genma being an almost-perfect soldier. The thought added to the quiet, confused weight in Raidou’s stomach.

“Yes, taichou,” Genma said, voice even. “When the fighting began, my opponent immediately focused on me. We fought, and by the time I realized she was out of my league-” His voice trembled slightly on the word, before he swallowed and gained control of himself once more. “By the time I realized, she had already pushed me away from the clearing. I called out, but I knew your battle was likely too loud for you or Ox to notice. I decided that running was the only way I would survive. She chased me, and would catch up with me only to slash at me or taunt me. I did everything I could to lose her, and eventually managed to gain enough ground to hide. When she passed, I backtracked to a river we had crossed and found a cave to hide in and treat my injuries. I believe she dislocated my shoulder at some point, and I twisted my ankle during the chase. I hid out there for a few hours, before deciding to risk a run for home. I didn’t see any other option.” He hesitated, and Raidou could feel the rapid flutter of his heart against his back, even though their vests.

“If I stayed, and she found me, I would have been trapped there. I figured out that home was likely to the southwest, and headed in that direction. She caught up with me.” His hand was clenched in Raidou’s vest again, and Raidou wondered if he noticed that he was clinging to him. He wondered even more if it was a silent request for strength. “I was too injured to fight back. She would have killed me if Rai-” A pause. “If Goat hadn’t arrived.”

“Did she say anything about her intentions or why she and her companions were in the Land of Fire?”

Raidou resisted the urge to react. That was his question, after that story?

“No. She seemed more interested in mockery that attacked me personally rather than insults that suggested any motivations.” Genma’s voice was steady, and the admiration that Raidou felt for the younger teen compounded.

“You did well,” Minato said kindly. “That was not a situation we believed you would be in, and you kept yourself safe until help could arrive. Thank you for your hard work, shinobi.”

“Thank you, taichou,” Genma murmured.

They entered the city as the conversation drew to a close, sticking to the trees to avoid any civilians witnessing their sudden appearance. The structure of their formation loosened, no longer needing to be defensive within their own walls.

“Everyone is dismissed when we return,” Minato said, loudly enough for them all to hear. “I’ll complete the mission report and see that Cat receives medical attention.”

“I can take him to the medics,” Raidou offered. “I don’t mind.”

“Very well.” They landed outside of headquarters. Minato patted Genma’s shoulder where he still rested against Raidou’s back. “Again, good job, Cat. A deftly handled situation. Congratulations on returning from your first mission.”

“Congratulations,” Kushina repeated, tone kind. Ibiki gave them a loose salute, leading the way into the building. Raidou’s muscles were beginning to tremble, and he had to breathe carefully to resist the urge to release Genma’s weight and collapse then and there. His head was beginning to ache, and nausea turned his empty stomach.

Sakumo lingered behind a bit, resting one large hand briefly on the crown of Genma’s head. “If you need anything, Cat,” he said quietly, “You know where to find me.”

“Thank you,” Genma said, and his tone betrayed true gratitude this time, and some amount of familiarity. It struck Raidou that Sakumo was the father of one of Genma’s close friends. They likely knew each other outside of uniform. Raidou suddenly felt guilty for doubting Sakumo’s intentions.

Sakumo nodded and left without returning to the locker room, disappearing into the trees. As soon as Raidou crossed the threshold into the atrium, the group of teens he’d left behind jumped to their feet. It looked like they’d been camped out all night, all of them still in their training blacks. They were at Raidou’s side before he made it halfway to the locker room, Rin leading the charge with tears already in her eyes.

“Is he hurt?” she asked frantically, hands lifted in desperate concern. “I can help if he’s hurt.”

The rest of them clustered around them. Kakashi’s dark eyes were boring into Genma’s mask. Obito’s Sharingan were activated, likely trying to discern any detail about Genma’s condition. Gai was openly weeping, one knuckle shoved between his teeth to quiet sobs even as their somber friend tried to comfort him.

“Easy,” Raidou said, before they could start demanding answers. He had maybe two minutes before the decision to keep standing was taken out of his hands as his muscles gave out entirely. “Let me put him down, okay?”

They moved out of the way and followed him like little ducklings into the locker room. He made it to one of the cots in the back, turning so that he could lower him onto the edge. He silently lifted Genma’s feet onto the cot properly before he could protest, and stepped out of the way to let Genma’s friends surge around him. He turned away to go to his locker immediately, woozy.

“Rin, easy,” he heard behind him. He blocked out their conversation, going straight to his locker. He took off his uniform mechanically, dragging his street clothes on without bothering to shower off hours of sweat and dirt. He moved to where he could see the rest of them, leaning heavily against the lockers and attempting to ground himself, even though his body was trembling. He wasn’t done yet; he still had to make sure Genma’s wounds were properly treated.

“We were so scared,” the somber friend said.

“So Scared!” Gai exploded, finally releasing the energy he’d clearly been trying to repress. Raidou turned his eyes to Genma, who had finally removed his mask. He looked as stoic as always- almost. Looking at him closely, Raidou thought he could see surprise in his eyes as he looked around at his friends, even as he attempted to quell Gai’s outburst.

Raidou wondered why Genma would be surprised to see that his friends cared so much about him. It made something in his chest ache.

“He’s been through a lot,” Raidou said. The attention of the teens turned to him, and he met Genma’s dark eyes. He hoped Genma could see the warmth he was trying to project to him, and that his continued presence was providing some ounce of comfort. “I’m sure he’d like to rest.”

“I’m okay,” Genma said immediately. “They don’t need to leave.”

Raidou restrained a chuckle at that reaction. As if he would try to remove Genma from his friends. As if his friends would allow it. “I didn’t say that. But your injuries might be a little too severe for Rin-chan.”

“They aren’t,” Rin said stubbornly. She was the only one who hadn’t looked in Raidou’s direction, focused on her work.

“Alright,” Raidou said. He took a seat on a nearby bench, stretching out his legs casually. He didn’t let himself wince at the ache, or at the way one of his calf muscles tried to lock up in a sudden, over-exerted cramp. “I’ll just hang around and make sure.”

Raidou waited while Rin worked, listening to their quiet chatter. None of them asked him any questions, but they told him how they had just finished evening training when Minato and Ibiki arrived, and they had been confused and scared to see that Genma hadn’t returned with them.

Gai was in the middle of an impassioned description of Rin’s Bravery in standing up to Shikaku-san when Raidou caught Genma’s eyes on him. Genma looked away as soon as their eyes met, and Raidou looked down to hide a smile. Admiration, huh?

When Rin declared that Genma’s shoulder was repaired and that his ankle was stable, Kakashi offered to see Genma home. “I’m not tired,” he said quietly. “You guys should go home and rest.”

Every one of them stopped to touch Genma. Rin hugged him gently. Obito squeezed his shoulders. Gai threw his arms around him in a hug that Genma seemed to only begrudgingly accept. The quiet boy patted his knee awkwardly. Then they all left together, and Genma seemed to slump even further into the cot.

“I feel gross,” he mumbled to Kakashi.

“Want to take a shower before I walk you home?”

“I better.” Genma shifted to his feet, stepping hesitantly onto his injured ankle. When he seemed satisfied that it wouldn’t give, he stepped around Kakashi, heading towards the shower. “I’ll be quick,” he called.

“Take your time.”

Genma passed Raidou and avoided his eyes, disappearing in the direction of the showers with only a brief pause to grab his street clothes from his locker.

Silence fell for the first time since they had returned. Raidou didn’t move, silently working up the courage to stand and drag himself home now that he knew that Genma was well enough to return home. He was just pushing himself to his feet when Kakashi spoke.

“Thank you.”

Raidou rubbed his sore back as he stood, looking in Kakashi’s direction. He may have claimed not to be tired, but Raidou could see the shadows around his eyes. “Sorry?”

“Thank you,” Kakashi repeated. “You found him, right? And carried him home?”

“Oh. Yeah.” Raidou nodded, waving a dismissive hand. “Don’t thank me.”

“Missions are dangerous,” Kakashi said quietly. His eyes had moved to the floor. “The rest of them don’t know that yet. They’ve never gone into the field. I should have talked to Genma more about it, before he left but-” A pause. “I didn’t expect him to have that experience. Minato-sensei is really good. I thought he would protect him, but. I know better.”

“Kakashi-”

“Every time we leave the village we could die.” Kakashi lifted his head, eyes solemn. “I wasn’t ready to admit that he would be in the same danger I’ve been in. That all of them will be soon.” He let out a breath. “That you were in tonight, for the first time, for us. You took that risk because we couldn’t. So I do thank you, for that.”

Raidou stared at him, mouth pressing into a firm line. It was hard to hear something so grim from someone his civilian mind said shouldn’t be worried about such things so soon. Kakashi was smaller than Genma, thinner and narrower, and seemingly fragile. But Raidou knew the stories about him already. Kakashi was already someone older shinobi found trustworthy in the field. Raidou wondered how much battle he’d already seen.

“You’re welcome,” he said quietly, bowing his head. “Thank you for trusting me.”

“You proved us right.” Kakashi shrugged, looking away. “You should go home. You look terrible.”

Raidou huffed a laugh, and took his advice. If he had to sit down twice on the road home to avoid collapsing, that was his business and no one else’s. And he couldn’t find it in himself to be resentful for how his back ached after hours of carrying Genma home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does anyone else care about genma and raidou as much as me? no? cool cool cool
> 
> this fic also serves to flesh out the shinobi culture in this universe a little bit more. despite having safe guards in place to protect children, the culture still makes exceptions for children considered "exceptional." and a separation of emotions and duty is considered necessary in the field, which raidou is unable to understand at this point in time. also i love minato and this is not meant to paint him as a dick at all, he's just a Real Good Soldier.


	5. resistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was slowly dawning on Kakashi that this, perhaps, was the feeling that made Obito wax poetic about Rin day-in and day-out. This was the feeling that made Genma’s entire demeanor change when Raidou entered a room. This was the feeling his father had once had for his mother. This, he realized, was the feeling of love blooming inside of him, growing rapidly like a climbing weed high on a wall, that latched onto brick and mortar and ate away at it, changing the fundamental structure below for better or for worse.
> 
> or: kakashi discovers what mizuki has been doing to iruka, and does his best to help. set during chapter one of "to speak what's true."

Kakashi hadn’t known what compelled him to ask Iruka to come back beneath the bleachers, but he realized as the days passed that it was the first wisps of affection taking root. Seeing Iruka was the silent joy of every one of Kakashi’s days. Just a glance at him made pleasure curl in Kakashi’s stomach, not hot like arousal, but light, like helium filling the space between his organs and making him float.

It was addictive. It was slowly dawning on him that this, perhaps, was the feeling that made Obito wax poetic about Rin day-in and day-out. This was the feeling that made Genma’s entire demeanor change when Raidou entered a room. This was the feeling his father had once had for his mother. This, he realized, was the feeling of love blooming inside of him, growing rapidly like a climbing weed high on a wall, that latched onto brick and mortar and ate away at it, changing the fundamental structure below for better or for worse.

Kakashi couldn’t resist the urge to know him. To ask him questions about his life, or his philosophy, or about his day. To be his friend. To be more than his friend. He couldn’t even drum up the shame to feel guilty over it.

It helped that Iruka didn’t seem to mind. It helped even more that Iruka’s cheeks turned a pretty pink anytime Kakashi made an off-color joke, or peered into his eyes too directly for too long. Those were the moments it was hardest to remind himself that Iruka was already with someone, and that while mild flirting might be excused, blatant overtures would cross a line he wasn’t sure their friendship would survive. He took what he could get, in quiet conversation and glimpses of blushes.

Genma immediately picking up on his crush, just as Rin had, was an annoyance. Their combined, silent teasing was embarrassing, and embarrassment was not an emotion Kakashi was familiar with. Genma was the worst, of course, blatantly taking advantage of Iruka’s apparent crush on him to irritate Kakashi. Two could play at that game, of course. Raidou wouldn’t be away on a mission forever.

Kakashi had grown so accustomed to their normal routine that he was immediately alert when something changed. It was a particularly muggy afternoon, muggy enough that Kakashi could feel sweat dampening the roots of his hair even though they were hidden in the shade. And yet Iruka was wearing a sweatshirt, something too large for him and light pink, with a square print of flowers on the front. He had never seen Iruka in long sleeves. It was jarring, a detail that stuck out like a sore thumb under his attentive eye. Iruka wasn’t like Obito, who wore jackets even late into the summer. Iruka seemed to thrive in tank tops and short sleeves - and even crop-tops, like he’d been wearing while he babysat Sasuke.

Kakashi was careful not to give away his curiosity, and greeted Iruka with his usual smile and a playful wiggle of his fingers. Iruka smiled back, more subdued than usual, and took his seat with a vague greeting to the rest of their friends.

Red flag number two. 

Kakashi tried not to read into it. He kept his book in hand, blindly turning the pages and chatting with his friends, watching Iruka from the corner of his eye. The light was missing from his eyes, the usual radiant mischief and joy replaced by a dull sort of disinterest. He was eating methodically, working his way first through his rice and then his vegetables, as if he didn’t want to eat, but knew that he should. He wasn’t talking.

Genma broke before Kakashi, turning his playful gaze on Iruka. “Alright, Iruka-kun,” he said suddenly. Iruka had been staring at his sandals for the last three minutes. “It’s making me sweat just to look at you. What’s with the parka?”

Iruka lifted his head, blinking over at Genma slowly. Abnormal, for him to not snap to attention under Genma’s scrutiny. “Huh?”

Genma reached over to grasp Iruka’s arm, waving it back and forth teasingly. “Aren’t you hot in this?”

Iruka turned his head away quickly, and every muscle in his body went suddenly tense. Kakashi went tense too, nostrils flaring under his mask at the sudden fear-pain smell springing from Iruka’s skin. The tension in Iruka’s body disappeared almost as soon as it had arrived, from everywhere but his torso. He was barely breathing. Kakashi held his breath with him.

Iruka laughed, and the sound was almost convincing. He pulled his arm away from Genma’s casual grip. “No, no. I’m just feeling a little under the weather. I might have a fever.”

“A fever!” Gai exclaimed, leaning forward. “Oh, Iruka-kun, are you unwell? It’s the Springtime of your Youth! There’s no time for the common cold!” 

Kakashi would have rolled his eyes, if every ounce of his attention wasn’t on Iruka’s reaction. Iruka had straightened up again, a smile stretching across his cheeks. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Iruka waved Gai off. “No, no, I’m fine. Just allergies, I think. I’m not sick.” He turned back to Genma, looking up at him shyly through his lashes. “Is it ugly?” He plucked at the front of his shirt.

It was a stunning display of acting, Kakashi realized. If he couldn’t smell the fear on him, almost acidic against his normal scent, he might have believed it himself. It wasn’t surprising that Genma took the bait.

Genma smirked at Iruka, reaching up and tugging on one of the draw strings tied at the base of Iruka’s throat. “Of course not. Everything is cute on you, Iruka-kun. I could just eat you up.”

Kakashi barely spared Genma a glance, too caught up in taking note of every movement Iruka made to rise to his usual teasing. Rin was already chastising Genma, and the attention of everyone turned away from Iruka - except Kakashi, who saw the moment his shoulders slumped in relief. He was smiling for real now, but it was a small, fragile thing.

Kakashi wasn’t sure what to do. He watched as Iruka finished the last of his lunch and packed away his things, weighing his options. He could ignore it, as Iruka seemed to wish. But that tension had been from pain.

Had he hurt himself? That didn’t seem likely. Iruka had never seemed inclined to self-harm. Something else then. Maybe something embarrassing? He could have burnt his arm while cooking, or banged it into something. But Iruka wasn’t the clumsy type either. He was shockingly graceful, actually. It was one of the many things that drew Kakashi to him.

Perhaps something at home. But Kakashi knew Iruka’s foster family well, and would bet his life that neither Kushina nor Minato would ever lay a hand on one of their children. From everything he’d seen of Naruto, they were far more likely to be overly indulgent. It could be different with their adopted son, but Kakashi doubted it.

The last option was the one that seemed most likely, and also the one that Kakashi dreaded. The only person in Iruka’s life that Kakashi didn’t trust was his boyfriend. He hadn’t liked the way Mizuki from day one, with how possessive his hands were on Iruka’s body, or the way he had chastised Iruka like he was a child instead of his equal. And there had been signs, hadn’t there? Other bruises.

Kakashi closed his eyes, and breathed deeply, pushing away an instinctive flare of anger. When he opened his eyes, he noticed Obito looking at him curiously. He just shook his head, looking back at his book blindly.

When the lunch period was nearly over, Kakashi shifted, leaning toward Iruka. He pressed the back of his hand against Iruka’s forehead, and then against his cheek. His skin was warm to the touch, and a bit sweaty, but he wasn’t feverish. Kakashi couldn’t even bring himself to enjoy the shocked look that crossed Iruka’s face at the touch, certainty settling in his stomach like a stone.

“Kakashi-senpai?” Iruka met his gaze, dark eyes curious. He didn’t flinch away from Kakashi’s touch in the slightest, and Kakashi left his hand against Iruka’s cheek, watching him calmly.

“No fever, it seems,” he said mildly, eyes locked unwaveringly on Iruka’s. He saw the way Iruka’s shoulders tensed again, even though it was subtle. For someone so expressive, Iruka had a real talent for holding his cards close to his chest when he wanted to. What was he hiding?

“Oh,” he said after a beat, looking away. “No?”

“No,” Kakashi confirmed. He lowered his hand regretfully, and forced himself to pull it back to his lap instead of doing something stupid, like trying to take Iruka’s hand.

“I must just be a little cold today, then.” Iruka looked up at him, a small, false smile on his face. Kakashi didn’t miss - _couldn’t_ miss - the silent desperation in his eyes. He was begging for Kakashi to let it go.

He tipped his head back and cast his eyes to the sky where it peeked through the seats above them, relenting. “I miss the cold,” he said.

Iruka let out a long sigh beside him, and Kakashi had to close his eyes. “I don’t like winter,” he murmured. “I can never get my feet warm, when it’s snowing.”

“I’ll buy you a pair of socks,” Kakashi promised, and what he meant was that he would do absolutely anything for him, anything to make him just a bit happier. Anything to make the smile on his face real.

Iruka had no idea how tightly Kakashi was already wrapped around his finger.

The bell rang in the distance, and they all began gathering their things. Kakashi stood with a sigh, dragging his bag over his shoulder.

“You’re going to class?” Iruka raised a brow at him, hands hooked in the straps of his backpack. He rocked back on his heels, eyeing Kakashi dubiously.

“We have a test today,” Kakashi lied, flashing him a close-eyed smile. He led the way, and Iruka fell into step beside him. Kakashi silently shook his head at Gai’s rapidly disappearing form, already sprinting towards class. Genma, Obito, and Rin were walking just a little ahead of them, and Kakashi carefully kept their distance. There was no test today, but he wasn’t quite ready to let Iruka out of his sight and didn’t know how to say so.

“How do you plan on passing if you never go to class?” Iruka wrinkled his nose at him, head tipped in his direction. There were a few baby hairs escaping from his ponytail around his face. It was incredibly endearing.

“I’m a genius,” he said, drily. “Haven’t you heard?”

“You did the reading outside of class,” Iruka guessed. Kakashi smiled at him, chest warming. So Iruka had been paying attention to him, too.

“I did,” Kakashi confirmed. They walked on in silence for a while, and Kakashi let himself enjoy Iruka’s presence at his side. When they reached the cluster of buildings, Obito, Genma, and Rin headed off towards the science hall.

Iruka stopped, and Kakashi stopped too, looking down at him. “I’m this way,” Iruka said, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb.

“Okay.” Kakashi reached out thoughtlessly, fingers circling his wrist gently. Anxious energy buzzed beneath his skin, even as he calmly met Iruka’s confused eyes. He lifted Iruka’s arm carefully, and delicately placed his other hand on Iruka’s arm where Genma had grabbed him before. Iruka froze under his touch, eyes widening. Kakashi didn’t look away, heart thundering in his chest. “Right here?” he asked, quiet.

Iruka met his eyes, silent fear reflecting back at him. At last, he nodded, his jaw clenching around a tense swallow. Kakashi trailed his fingers slowly down his arm without looking away, until he found the loose, frayed edge of his sleeve. He tipped his head just a bit, silently asking for his permission. Again, Iruka nodded. Kakashi looked down, carefully pushing his sleeve up to the bend of Iruka’s arm. He kept one hand on his wrist, cradling his elbow with the other.

There was a huge bruise circling Iruka’s forearm, vibrant purples and blues stark against his brown skin. There were spots where blood vessels had been broken, leaving bright, garish red splotches. Kakashi turned his arm gently to examine the opposite side of his arm, noting the crescent scabs that marked five fingernail cuts, deep in his skin. Kakashi pulled his sleeve down again gently, careful not to touch the bruise. He glanced up, silently holding out his hand for Iruka’s opposite wrist. Iruka hesitated for just a moment, before holding it out too. When Kakashi pushed up his other sleeve, the same injury was revealed. When he slid this sleeve down, he kept hold of Iruka’s wrist, squeezing delicately in a way he could only hope was reassuring.

His pulse was pounding in his ears, hard enough to make him dizzy. He pushed his instincts down, remembering where he was and who he was with. He took a slow breath and looked up. Iruka’s head was bowed, eyes on his feet and shoulders curled inward defensively. He looked like a little boy in that moment, like he was waiting to be chastised for doing something naughty. It made Kakashi’s stomach turn, and he had to calm himself again before he spoke.

“Iruka,” he murmured.

When Iruka looked up, his eyes were glassy, like he was barely holding back tears.

“It’s nothing,” Iruka said, his voice almost steady. That forced smile crossed his face again. “Just a little- kinky,” he joked. He nearly choked on the words. Kakashi didn’t find it very funny at all.

He rubbed his thumb in a gentle circle against the delicate skin of Iruka’s inner wrist and looked down at where their hands met. If Iruka didn’t want to talk about it, he couldn’t force him. But at least now he knew that Kakashi _knew_ what was happening. Neither of them were foolish enough to have any misgivings about what those bruises actually meant. If he didn’t want to talk, all Kakashi could do was make sure Iruka knew he was there.

“Hound,” he said at last, and looked up at him again. Iruka blinked, clearing unshed tears from his eyes, and wrinkled his nose in quiet confusion.

“What?”

“Hound,” Kakashi repeated, and did his best to smile. “That’s your new safeword. In case things ever get a little too-” Kakashi could barely force the word out, mind flashing with overly vivid images of how Iruka had gotten those bruises. “-kinky,” he finished, and flexed his fingers carefully around Iruka’s wrist. He was with Iruka now, not Mizuki. For now, Iruka was here, and he was safe.

“Okay,” Iruka said after a moment, looking down at where Kakashi was still holding him.

“I’m going to have Obito send you my phone number. Okay?”

“Okay,” Iruka repeated.

“Okay,” Kakashi agreed. He squeezed Iruka’s wrist one more time before releasing him. He stepped back, reassuming his normal posture. He felt like his bones were vibrating hard enough and fast enough to shatter beneath the surface of his skin, a terrible, silent, barely contained fury. “Get to class, Iruka-kohai. I can’t be seen corrupting you in the hallways.” He smiled again, hands tucked into his pockets.

Iruka smiled at him, half-hearted, but real, and gave him a little bow. “Yes, Kakashi-senpai.” He hurried off, leaving Kakashi standing alone in the courtyard.

He didn’t go to class.

\---

His father found him later that evening, sprawled in the middle of their garden, surrounded by the debris of a hard afternoon of training. Sakumo was already out of his uniform, in flannel pajama pants and a faded t-shirt with a hole at the collar.

Kakashi stared at the hole moodily, his father blocking his view of the rising stars with his torso as he leaned over him. “What.”

“You’ve been laying in the yard since I got home. I figured I’d see if you were dead.” Sakumo held out a hand to him.

“Not this time,” Kakashi muttered, and grabbed his father’s hand. Sakumo hauled him to his feet and dusted off his shoulders.

“You’re shaking like your chakra’s run dry.”

“I haven’t eaten today,” Kakashi admitted after a moment.

“Good thing I cooked.” Sakumo took him by the scruff, steering him into the house. Kakashi let himself be led, tired muscles protesting at each step. All the dogs were gathered in the kitchen, taking up every square foot of floor as they scarfed down their dinner.

“Yo, Kakashi-kun,” Pakkun grunted, glancing up at him. 

Kakashi waved at him on his way to the table. No one spoke again until Kakashi had eaten a full bowl of rice and curry. He was starting his second when his father tapped the table, drawing his attention.

“What’s bothering you, then?” Sakumo gazed at him across the table with steady, dark eyes. The lines beneath them had grown more pronounced in the last year or so, dragging his kind face downward in a show of his age. Kakashi ached to know if he would look the same when he grew older, or if he would have the eternally smooth skin he imagined his mother would have had.

“Nothing.” He looked back down at his curry, suddenly not so hungry anymore.

The more he’d thought about it, the more Kakashi realized he should have known sooner what Iruka had been going through. And he had known, hadn’t he? He had seen a whisper of it in their first interaction, and should have known it as fact as soon as he saw the faint shadow of a bruise on Iruka’s wrist weeks before. Yet he’d allowed it to get to the point where Mizuki was leaving bruises that Iruka had to hide. Dark, painful looking things that were almost swollen to the touch. He’d let Mizuki draw blood before he acknowledged it.

But what else could he have done? Regardless of how much he liked Iruka already, they had barely known each other for a month. Would he have welcomed Kakashi saying something sooner? Did he welcome it now, or would he pull away again as he had when Kakashi had teased him about a love bite and an excusable bruise?

Kakashi pressed his knuckle against one temple, a headache beginning to throb behind his eyes.

“Ah. Yes. You always work yourself nearly unconscious.” Sakumo tilted his head. “This isn’t at all one of your coping habits.”

“Don’t psychoanalyze me,” Kakashi mumbled. He picked up his chopsticks again, poking moodily at his food. He couldn’t imagine eating another bite.

“I’m not. I’m just offering my help.”

Kakashi looked up at him again, thoughtfully grazing the scar on his lip with his teeth for a moment. “I can’t tell you. It would be a breach of confidence.”

“Mm.” Sakumo rested his chin against one fist, watching him calmly. “Related to a friend then, not a mission.”

“Yes.” Kakashi settled his hands in his lap, abandoning his food all together. “He’s having relationship problems.”

“Mm… the only friend of yours I know that’s in a relationship is Obito.” A pause. “But I can’t imagine a problem between Obito and Rin that would cause you such turmoil.” One corner of his wide mouth twitched up. “Unless you’ve decided you have feelings for Rin.”

Kakashi clicked his tongue dismissively, looking away. “The boat for that sailed years ago.”

“I should say so.” Kakashi glanced back over, narrowing his eyes at his father who was still gazing at him calmly. “A friend I don’t know is having trouble with his girlfriend.” Kakashi pressed his lips together in mild irritation before he could stop himself and Sakumo tipped his head. “Boyfriend,” he corrected.

“Yes,” Kakashi admitted.

“Serious problems?” At Kakashi’s silence one of Sakumo’s brows lifted. “ _Very_ serious problems?”

“As yet to be determined.” Kakashi sighed and slumped, rubbing his hands across his face. “I’m handling it.”

“If it becomes something-”

“I know.” Kakashi waved a hand dismissively. “I know, chichi.”

“Good.” Sakumo knocked his knuckles against the table again. “Would you like some tea?”

He nodded, stretching his arms above his head with a sigh. “Yeah. Sounds nice.”

“Go ahead and make a pot while you do the dishes.” Sakumo flashed him a grin and stood, waving over his shoulder. “I’ll be in the living room.” 

Sakumo evaded the chopstick Kakashi threw at him without looking back.

\---

The next few weeks passed quietly. Iruka pretended nothing was wrong, so Kakashi followed suit. They still ate lunch together every day, and Kakashi carefully took note of everything about Iruka - both searching for signs that something was wrong, and casually admiring every detail of him, from his expressive mouth to his bony ankles. The more he spoke to Iruka, the more intriguing he was.

It was nearly eight in the evening on a Friday night when Kakashi’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He was hanging out with Obito, and by extension babysitting Sasuke. They had all settled in the living room, where Sasuke was watching some animated movie while Obito and Kakashi played cards in the corner.

“Hey! It’s your turn,” Obito whined. Kakashi held up a finger, fishing his cell phone out of his pocket. “What, you’ve got a text? No one texts you. I don’t even text you, you ignore th-”

“Shut up,” Kakashi said sharply. He dropped his cards on the table, rapidly tapping out a reply. His mouth was suddenly dry, vision narrowed in on the one word sent from an unknown number.

_Hound._

“What the fuck, Kakashi-”

Kakashi looked up at him, and something on his face must have betrayed his mood, because Obito shut his mouth so quickly his teeth clicked. He frowned.

“I need you to take me somewhere.” It was a struggle to keep his voice even, adrenaline rushing through him.

“What?” Obito glanced over his shoulder at Sasuke, and then looked back at him. “We’ll have to take the brat-”

“No.” Kakashi looked down when his phone went off again and stood, tapping out another message. “Let’s go, now.”

“Kakashi, I can’t leave Sasuke-”

“Sasuke-kun,” Kakashi said. Sasuke looked over at him, lips pursing in irritation. Kakashi flashed him a smile. “Obito thinks you can’t take care of yourself for twenty minutes. I told him you could, but…”

“Leave forever if you want,” Sasuke said, and looked back at the television. 

Obito made a distressed noise and stood, grabbing onto Kakashi’s arm. “Dude, really, I can’t leave him-”

“It’s Iruka. Please.” Kakashi looked at him, grasping his arm tightly. “Please. We need to go now. If you don’t come with me, I don’t-”

“Kakashi.” Obito gripped his shoulder, brows furrowing. His tone had lost any humor or whine. “What’s going on?”

Kakashi clenched his jaw. He couldn’t say, it wasn’t his place to say what was happening, but- “Mizuki,” he said simply, voice flat.

Obito stared at him for a long moment, then nodded sharply. “We’ll be right back, Sasuke.”

“Whatever,” Sasuke said mildly.

They rushed to the genkan together, and as soon as Obito’s shoes were on and his keys were in his hand, Kakashi grabbed his shoulder, transporting them in a swirl of leaves to the parking lot directly beside Obito’s car. Obito swayed for a second and caught his balance against the hood before climbing in. It spoke volumes about the energy he was giving off if Obito didn’t even bother snapping at him over that display.

Kakashi gave him the address and closed his eyes, breathing through his rising anxiety and reminding himself that this was not a mission, this was not an enemy. When it didn’t work, he restructured the thought: it was a mission, and that mission was the recovery of Iruka, without any combat or civilian casualties.

He let out a breath and opened his eyes as Obito stopped the car, opening the door before the tires had stopped rotating. Iruka appeared from the lawn of a nearby, modest family home. He was shirtless, surface scraps and dirt on his chest and arms. His face was damp with tears and snot, half of his hair free of it’s tie. Kakashi stepped towards him, his hands raised, instinctively trying to make himself seem less threatening. Iruka came to a sudden halt, and took a bare-footed step back, his eyes flashing with anger.

“You brought someone with you,” he snapped, voice hoarse. It grated against Kakashi’s skin like a physical touch, stomach flipping at the suggestion that Iruka believed he would betray him.

“I can’t drive,” Kakashi said. It felt like the words were being punched out of his chest. “It’s just Obito. I didn’t tell him anything. I swear. I just wanted to get to you-”

Iruka’s anger crumbled as quickly as it had appeared. A deep sob ripped itself out of him. He didn’t try to cover his face, fat tears pouring down his cheeks, mouth open as another weak gasp passed his lips. 

The calm Kakashi had cultivated on the ride over was gone already, the frantic need to soothe Iruka spinning his mind in helpless circles. He stepped towards Iruka slowly, hands still lifted helplessly. “Come on,” he coaxed, voice gentle. “Come on, let’s get you in the car-”

Iruka stepped timidly closer and lifted his trembling hands to Kakashi’s shoulders. The touch was enough to make him freeze, even as Iruka pressed his face into his chest and let out another sob, stepping closer like he wanted to hide in Kakashi entirely. It took Kakashi an achingly long moment to react, and then he wrapped his arms around him, folding him as close to his chest as he could. He felt suddenly like he might cry too. He hadn’t cried in years. 

“It’s alright,” He whispered, pressing his cheek against Iruka’s hair. His heart was thundering beneath his sternum. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you. You’re safe, Iruka. I’ve got you.”

The sound of a door opening nearby made him tense, eyes darting over to the house where Iruka had been just as Mizuki emerged. He was shirtless, his grey hair falling around his face in knots. There was an ugly sneer on his face, and he was coming fast. Clearly, he was angry.

“Get in the car,” Kakashi commanded, failing to keep his voice soft. He moved Iruka to the back seat, carefully guiding him inside. Iruka wouldn’t release his shirt for a moment and when Kakashi looked at him, he was staring up at him with miserable, pleading eyes. Kakashi pulled Iruka’s hands away gently, pressing them to his chest before stepping back. He closed the door, relief crashing over him like a wave. Iruka was safe.

“Kakashi!” Obito snapped. Kakashi didn’t spare him a glance. “Get in the fucking car!”

Kakashi reached back through the passenger-side window to lock the doors, silently ordering Obito to stay out of this. Mizuki came thundering out of the yard, his fists clenched at his sides. Kakashi could smell sex on him, and it made his hackles raise; all he could smell on Iruka was fear.

“You,” Mizuki snapped. He stopped a few paces from Kakashi. Kakashi tucked his hands into his pockets, reminding himself that the other part of this mission was to avoid combat and leave civilians unharmed.

“Me,” Kakashi answered, and took a small amount of pleasure in the scoff it earned him.

“Have you been fucking him?” Mizuki snarled. Kakashi blinked slowly, pushing away a fresh wave of irritation with practiced ease.

“No,” Kakashi said. He kept himself stalk-still, even as Mizuki took a step towards him. Civilian. Do not harm.

“Liar! You’ve been fucking him. How dare you?” Another step closer. Kakashi’s hands twitched in his pockets. “He’s mine.”

“Kakashi,” Obito said again, and Kakashi anchored himself with the word. Obito and Iruka were right behind him, watching.

“Iruka belongs to no one but himself,” Kakashi said, keeping his tone mild. It seemed to bother Mizuki that he wasn’t getting a rise out of him. Good. “Perhaps you should reassess.”

“Anywhere you touch him, I’ve already been. He will always belong to me.” Mizuki took another step forward. Kakashi could nearly touch him now. Grab his shoulder, throw him to the ground, smash his head against the sidewalk. 

“Iruka has never belonged to you,” Kakashi corrected. He didn’t reach out, but his fingers tingled, as if reminding him that he could.

“Kakashi,” Iruka whispered from within the car, and it made some of the tension in his chest release. Iruka would never want him to hurt Mizuki. Hurting Mizuki would hurt Iruka, and that, Kakashi would not do.

Mizuki lunged forward, one fist raised in a sloppy right hook. Every inch of his body betrayed his attack. Kakashi tipped to the side in a lazy dodge, and lifted his hand to catch Mizuki’s fist at the last moment before it could slam into the side of Obito’s car. The blow would have only succeeded in breaking the idiot’s fingers. “Careful,” he said. “You’ll hurt yourself.”

Mizuki flinched back, just barely, betraying his fear. He came back with another predictable strike with his opposite hand, clumsier than the first. Right hand dominant, then. Kakashi leaned to the opposite side and shifted his grip on Mizuki’s right fist, pushing him and redirecting his momentum so he stumbled to the side. His back was to Kakashi long enough that Kakashi considered kicking him in between his shoulders. It’s what he would have done when sparring with anyone else, if he wanted to remind them not to leave such obvious openings.

Kakashi shifted back to his previous stance, hands sliding back into his pockets. Mizuki turned to him again. “You’re testing my patience,” Kakashi said. He tipped his head to the side, giving him a condescending once-over.

Mizuki glowered, and looked past Kakashi into the car. When he spoke, the words were for Iruka, and they were dripping with venom. “This is how it is now? I trusted you. You slut.”

Kakashi struck before Obito could speak to reign him in. He reached out, lightning quick, and grabbed Mizuki’s shoulder, yanking his body around. His opposite hand slid down, gripping his wrist and twisting, locking the arm behind his back. He pressed his hand to the back of Mizuki’s skull, forcing his neck to an uncomfortable angle. He applied pressure to his arm, just enough to make his shoulder scream, but not hard enough to hear that tell-tale _pop._

He let out a breath.

“I don’t know why people think I’m so patient,” Kakashi said. He couldn’t keep the irritation out of his voice, and he hoped Mizuki would hear it for the threat that it was. He shoved Mizuki’s head sharply, just enough to hurt. He released him entirely and shoved him with a flat palm to send him stumbling back into his yard. “Run along.”

Mizuki scrambled to his feet, and when he looked up, Kakashi immediately met his eyes, doing his very best to telegraph his anger in just a look. Mizuki had the gall to look into the car again, hateful eyes once more seeking out Iruka. Kakashi’s hands twitched into fists and Mizuki looked away, turning to storm back into his house.

Kakashi forced himself to relax before reaching back through the window, unlocking his door again. He slid into the car, closing the door solidly after himself. “Let’s go,” he said, glancing at Obito from the corner of his eye. Obito’s gaze was heavy, his mouth a firm line for a moment, before he looked back at the road with a sigh. He shifted gears and pulled back onto the road.

“We have to go back to my house,” he said. “I’m dead if anyone finds out I left Sasuke alone.”

“Fine,” Kakashi said. He glanced in the rearview mirror at Iruka. His tears had dried on his face, and his arms were folded across his bare chest self-consciously. He was holding himself like he was trying to disappear. Kakashi looked away and leaned forward in his seat, tugging his t-shirt off. He twisted to face Iruka, holding it out wordlessly and hoping that it was the right thing to do. Iruka took it and glanced away from him as he pulled it on.

“Thank you,” he said softly, and Kakashi let those words soothe the last of his ire.

\---

The walk back to the compound after they parked the car was quiet. Obito blazed ahead of them, intent on getting back to Sasuke. Iruka was much slower, his posture slumped and defensive. He didn’t lift his eyes from his feet. Kakashi didn’t dare touch him, no matter how much he wished to offer support.

When Obito unlocked the door, Kakashi brushed his fingers against Iruka’s arm and gently led him left towards Obito’s bedroom. Iruka went without question, still painfully quiet. Kakashi guided him to Obito’s table, gesturing towards the cushions. “Sit,” he murmured, and Iruka did, lowering himself carefully to the cushions. As soon as he was down, he curled his knees to his chest, chin resting against them. Kakashi turned away to search for a shirt, grabbing the first one he noticed. It smelled relatively clean, so he tugged it on and turned back to Iruka.

Iruka was watching him with glazed eyes, like he was barely seeing Kakashi. He hadn’t bothered fixing his hair, even though it usually bugged him if it was even a little out of sorts. He hadn’t moved at all, but at least he wasn’t as tense as he had been before.

“I’m going to get us some tea and a first aid kit so I can check out those scratches, okay?”

Iruka didn’t stir.

“Iruka-kun?” Kakashi took a half-step closer and Iruka seemed to snap out of it, looking up at him with alert eyes.

“Huh?”

“I’m going to go get some tea and the first aid kit. Okay?” Kakashi frowned slightly, stuck in place. He didn’t know if he should leave, or if he should get closer. “I’ll be right back.”

Iruka hesitated for a moment before nodding. He hadn’t looked away from Kakashi, eyes still alert, but solemn.

“I’ll be right back,” he said seriously, brows furrowing. “I promise.”

Iruka’s only reply was a small smile and a nod. Kakashi nodded back and hesitated, still caught in indecision. Finally he forced himself to turn away and exit onto the veranda. As soon as he was out, he made a b-line for the kitchen. He turned on the kettle and went to the bathroom, snatching the first-aid kit from beneath the sink, before scrubbing his hands clean in scalding water. He almost left, anxious to return to Iruka, before pausing long enough to dampen a cloth for Iruka’s face.

It took an agonizing three minutes for the water to heat. As soon as the kettle beeped, Kakashi poured it into the cups he already had waiting. When he returned to Obito’s bedroom, Iruka was still in the same position, staring at Obito’s obnoxious wall of photos. Kakashi took intentionally heavy steps to alert him of his return. He sat beside him after setting down the tea and the kit, offering out the warm towel. Iruka looked at him, askant.

“For your face,” Kakashi murmured. Iruka took it, knees falling into a criss-cross position. He wiped his face slowly with the cloth, scrubbing beneath his nose and over his mouth, before wiping down his neck, too. He moved to wipe his arms next and Kakashi reached out, gently covering Iruka’s hands with his own before he could think better of it. Iruka looked up at him, blinking slowly. His brows drew together in confusion, and Kakashi wished he could soothe the wrinkled skin with his thumb.

“Drink your tea,” Kakashi said beseechingly. “And let me take a look at your cuts. Then you can take a shower, if you want.”

Iruka nodded after a moment. “Okay,” he agreed. He tugged off Kakashi’s shirt before Kakashi could blink, dropping it beside him. He didn’t move to shield himself with his arms, staring at Kakashi somberly.

Kakashi looked away and opened the kit, finding gauze and a can of saline solution to clean the scratches. He started with his arms and worked his way down his chest, keeping his touch slow and careful. He was pleased to see that most of them were barely scratches, and none of them were deep enough to bleed. Iruka was just finishing his tea as Kakashi leaned away.

“Shower?” he offered. Iruka nodded and Kakashi stood, reaching out to take his hands and draw him to his feet. Iruka stood without question, squeezing Kakashi’s hands once before letting go. Kakashi stepped away towards Obito’s dresser. “I’ll grab some of Obito’s clothes for you-”

“Can I wear your shirt?” Iruka interrupted. Kakashi stopped with a drawer half-opened, looking over Iruka. Iruka was staring back at him calmly, arms hanging at his sides.

Yeah,” Kakashi said finally. “Whatever you want.”

Iruka leaned down to pick up the shirt, and Kakashi found him the softest pair of Obito’s sweatpants that he could.

\---

Kakashi stood watch outside of the bathroom while Iruka showered. It was his first chance to process what had happened. He focused on his breathing, slowly going through his body and convincing each muscle to relax. There was no more fighting to be done. Mizuki had been handled for the time being, and Iruka needed his full attention now. He let go of the anger and the adrenaline, searching for peace instead. He leaned against the wall until Iruka emerged a half-hour later.

Kakashi straightened immediately. Iruka looked up at him and smiled faintly, something small but real. Kakashi stepped closer. “Okay?”

“I think I’m in shock,” Iruka said quietly. He looked down at his hands, lifting them up to examine them. They were trembling. “What did I do?”

Kakashi shifted closer and reached for Iruka’s hands, catching himself at the last moment. He didn’t know if Iruka would want to be touched. He stood in inaction for a long moment, before lowering his hands to his sides again.

“I don’t think you did anything wrong,” Kakashi said honestly.

“I- absolutely betrayed him,” Iruka murmured, the words seeming to stick in his throat. When he met Kakashi’s eyes again, there were tears gathered in them once more, threatening to spill down his shower-pink cheeks. His damp hair was clinging to his face and neck, and Kakashi noticed belatedly that this was the first time he’d really seen Iruka’s hair down. It was lovely.

Iruka’s words sank in and Kakashi shook his head slowly. “I don’t think that’s what happened.” Of course it wasn’t what happened. Mizuki had betrayed Iruka, irrevocably. How could Iruka believe this was his fault?

“He’s just in pain,” Iruka whispered, eyes almost desperate. “He needs me.”

“Why?” Kakashi felt like his heart was being twisted, brows drawing together against a wave of pain.

“I’m the only one who understands.” Iruka blinked and the tears that had been pooling in his eyes spilled over, fresh tears immediately forming in their place.

Kakashi wanted to reach out so badly, wanted to cradle Iruka’s face between his hands and try to soothe his hurt. “Why do you have to carry his pain?” he asked softly, desperate to understand.

Iruka searched his face for a long moment, lips pursing tightly before he let out a breath, a pained smile twisting his lips. “I don’t know,” he whispered.

The way those words dug into Kakashi’s heart was more painful than any other wound he’d ever received. “Why do you choose to?” he murmured, and gave in to his need to touch. He reached out, gently taking Iruka’s hands in his, thumbs pressing down his life-lines in a firm line, trying to ease some of the pain. Iruka just squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head, bowing his face over their joined hands. Kakashi let him cry for several long minutes, holding vigil over his sorrow.

\---

Kakashi held Iruka’s hand all night, long after Iruka fell asleep. Kakashi didn’t rest. He focused on Iruka’s steady breathing, watching him in the dark and slowly untwisting the mire of emotion settled in his chest. Iruka took his hand while he walked him home in the morning, too, and Kakashi felt the phantom heat of his touch the rest of the day.

He ended the day with his father, joining him to groom all of the dogs in the afternoon sun. Afterwards, they both bathed and reconvened in the garden for dinner, munching on onigiri Sakumo had molded that morning, each one filled with leftover curry or vegetables. Sakumo brought a bottle of sake outside too, and let Kakashi have a small cup with his dinner.

The sun had disappeared and the sound of cicadas filled the night sky as they ate, spending long stretches of time together in silence. At last, Kakashi’s anger and fear and spite had faded, filled with a melancholy and a longing he couldn’t understand.

“When did you know you were in love with haha?” Kakashi murmured. They had been staring at the rising stars for some time, and Sakumo didn’t answer right away. He poured himself another serving of sake, and topped off Kakashi’s cup too.

“Your mother,” Sakumo said at last, “Was the most cunning woman I have ever known. We didn’t know each other as children, not really. She was a handful of years younger than me, enough so that our communal training never overlapped. I didn’t get to know her until she was a fledgling ANBU member.” He went quiet again, turning his clay cup in his hands. Kakashi watched the movement, marveling at how his father’s hands looked nearly identical to his own, only age and hard-earned scars showing the difference.

“She was placed on my team when she was nineteen.” Sakumo’s mouth lifted in a wistful smile. “I was twenty-three. I had been leading teams since I was seventeen and thought I had nothing left to learn.” He chuckled softly. “She didn’t care for that attitude. Our mission was a delivery to northern earth country. We spent the whole week there and back arguing almost constantly. You could ask Jiriaya, he was there.”

“Ji-san was on your team?” Kakashi frowned.

“The one and only time. He was back from one of his research trips at the time.” Sakumo shook his head. “The bastard could be an excellent shinobi if he could stay out of the onsen for more than a week. Regardless.” He waved a hand as if dismissing the tangent. “When we returned, I asked her to go to dinner with me.”

“After arguing with her for weeks,” Kakashi said slowly.

“After spending time with her, knowing that she was unafraid of challenging me, seeing that she was as aware of me as I was of her.” He hummed softly, looking down into his cup. “Two weeks with her weren’t enough. I wanted to know all of her, not just glimpses, and not just as a comrade. I was enamoured with every frustrating thing about her.”

Kakashi watched him, chewing delicately on the scar in his lip. Even today, speaking of his mother made his father wistful. She had been gone for twelve years and Sakumo had not once mentioned or brought home another woman. He had been in mourning for more than half of Kakashi’s life, and the weight of that had always made Kakashi certain that he would never allow himself to grow that close to another human. But.

But.

“And she agreed? To go out with you?” Kakashi looked down at his hands, only to look up again in surprise when Sakumo laughed.

“No. She told me to go fuck myself.” Sakumo flashed him a wide grin, eyes crinkling closed. “I had to ask her out four more times before she agreed, and even then she said it was only to make me leave her be. Jokes on her.” He winked at Kakashi. “She married me less than a year later. And then we had you.”

One of Sakumo’s hands settled on the back of his neck, squeezing gently. Kakashi relaxed under the touch, bowing his head with a quiet sigh. He forgot sometimes how much his father’s companionship meant to him, when he was gone for long stretches of time, or when Kakashi spent more time with Obito or Gai than at home. But in moments like this, having his father at his side was the greatest comfort he could ask for.

“What brings this up tonight, Kakashi?” Sakumo asked after a moment, voice a quiet rumble.

Kakashi took a slow breath, scraping his thumb nail slowly down the side of his cup. “My friend I was telling you about,” he said. He had to pause to swallow, emotion welling up in his throat. “I haven’t known him long, just a few months, but I…”

Sakumo massaged the nape of his neck, waiting patiently for him to continue. Kakashi couldn’t find the words, unsure of how to define what he was feeling.

“Seeing him. It.” He set his cup down, rubbing his hands over his bare face. “He is…”

“Take your time,” Sakumo murmured. Kakashi let out a long sigh, dropping his hands back to his lap. Another long minute passed in silence, the sounds of the garden rising up to fill the space between their words.

“I would do anything for him,” Kakashi said at last. “When I’m not with him, I spend all my time thinking of him and wondering what he would say if he were with me. He constantly- surprises me. I admire him.” He glanced over at his father, and looked away again when he found that Sakumo’s steady gaze was already on him. “He is so… free. He feels everything and feels it out loud. And he’s so clever. I never know what he’s going to say. I…”

Kakashi had to stop again, staring down at his hands. For the second time in as many days, he felt the urge to cry building in his chest. “I want to be near him,” he finished, wincing internally as his voice trembled. “But I’m scared, chichi.”

Sakumo shifted, wrapping an arm around him. He pulled him close to his strong shoulder, and Kakashi gave in to the urge to slump against his father, exhaustion sweeping over him. He felt Sakumo press his nose into his hair, and Kakashi breathed with him. He relaxed into the comfort of his familiar scent, recognizing _home_ and _safe_.

“It’s okay,” Sakumo murmured. “It’s natural.”

“I’ve never felt like this,” Kakashi said, words sticking in his throat, thick as molasses.

“I know.” Sakumo just squeezed him closer, swaying with him slowly. “It’s okay.”

Kakashi closed his eyes and let himself take the comfort. He gave into sleep, drifting off wrapped in his father and the hazy evening warmth of summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> romance and kakashi? it's more likely than he'd think!
> 
> instead of all the canon reasons kakashi is afraid to care about people, here it's all about mama. unfortunately for him, he inherited sakumo's romantic streak and is completely incapable of resisting iruka's charm. also, this is a fun reminder that kakashi is a Total Teenager and sakumo is the #1 dad.


End file.
